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“Back water, fellows,”called out Step Hen; — “What’s up?” 
asked Giraffe, Page 119. 

—The Boy Scouts on Sturgeon Island. 












THE BOY SCOUTS 
ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


CHAPTER I. 

OUT FOR A ROYAL GOOD TIME. 

“ Will you do me a favor, Bumpus? ” 

“ Sure I will, Giraffe; what is it you want 
now ? ” 

“ Then tell me who that is talking to our scout¬ 
master, Dr. Philander Plobbs; because, you know, 
I’ve just come in after a scout ahead, and first thing 
I saw was a stranger among the patrol boys.” 

“ Oh! you mean that thin chap who came along 
in his buggy a bit ago, chasing after us all the way 
from that town where we had a bite of lunch? 
Why, I understand he’s the son of the telegraph op¬ 
erator there. You know we made arrangements 
with him to try and get a message to us, if one 
came along.” 

“ Whew! then I hope he ain't fetched a message 
that’ll spoil all our fun, just when we’ve got to the 



4 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


last leg of the journey, with the boat only a few 
miles further on! That’d be the limit, Bumpus. 
You don’t know anything about it, I reckon?” 

“ Well, our scout-master looks kinder down in 
the mouth, and I’m afraid it must be some sort of a 
recall to duty for him,” remarked a third lad, also 
wearing the khaki garments of a Boy Scout, as he 
joined the pair who were talking. 

“ I ! m afraid you’re right, Davy,” said the tall, 
angular fellow who seemed to own the queer 
name of Giraffe, though his long neck plainly 
proved why it had been given to him by his mates. 
“ But don’t it beat the Dutch how many times Doc 
Hobbs has had to give up a jolly trip, and hurry 
back home, just when the fun was going to begin, 
because the old doctor he works with needed him 
the worst kind? ” 

“ But say,” spoke up the fat boy who answered 
to the designation of Bumpus, “ mebbe the Cran¬ 
ford Troop, and the Silver Fox Patrol in particular, 
ain’t lucky to have such a wide-awake, efficient as¬ 
sistant scout-master as our Thad Brewster, who 
knows more in a day about out-of-door things than 
Dr. Hobbs would in a year.” 

“Yes, that’s right,” replied Giraffe; “but we’re 
going to know what’s in the wind now, because 
here’s the scout-master heading this way, with sev¬ 
eral of the other boys tagging at his heels; and sure 
as you live they’re grinning too. Looks to me like 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


5 


Step Hen and Allan thought it a good joke, 
though they look solemn enough when Doc turns 
their way. He’s just got to leave us, you mark 
my words, fellows.” 

It turned out that very way. An urgent mes¬ 
sage had come that necessitated the immediate re¬ 
turn of the scout-master. The old doctor with 
whom he practiced had been unlucky enough to 
fall, and break a leg; so it was absolutely essential 
that his assistant come back to look after the sick 
people of Cranford, hundreds of miles away. 

While the scout-master is getting his personal be¬ 
longings together, and the six boys gathered around 
are trying to look terribly disappointed, it might be 
well to introduce the little party to such of our 
readers who have not had the pleasure of making 
their acquaintance in previous volumes of this 
series. 

The Cranford Troop of Boy Scouts now con¬ 
sisted of two full patrols, and a third was in proc¬ 
ess of forming. The original patrol was known 
as the Silver Fox, and the six scouts who were with 
Doctor Hobbs, away up here on the border of Lake 
Superior, bent on a cruise on the great fresh water 
sea, all belonged to that division of the troop, 
so that they are old friends to those who have pe¬ 
rused any of the earlier books. 

Thad Brewster, whom Bumpus had spoken of so 
highly, was a bright, energetic lad, who had al- 


c 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


ways delighted in investigating things connected 
with outdoor life. He had belonged to a troop 
before organizing the one at Cranford, and was 
well qualified for" being made the assistant scout¬ 
master, having received his credentials from the 
New York Headquarters long ago. 

Allan Hollister, who would assume the responsi- 
bility should Thad be absent, was a boy who had 
spent quite a time in the Adirondacks before joining 
the scouts, and his knowledge was along practical 
lines. 

Then there was another fellow, rather a mel¬ 
ancholy chap, who had a queer way of showing the 
whites of his eyes, and looking scared, at the least 
opportunity, only to make his chums laugh; for he 
would immediately afterwards grin—in school as 
a little fellow he had insisted that his name of 
Stephen should be pronounced as though it consisted 
of two syllables; and from that day to this he had 
come to be known as Step Hen Bingham. 

The other three boys were the ones who engaged 
in the little talk with which this story opens. Bum- 
pus really had another name, though few people 
ever thought to call him by it; yet on the register at 
school he was marked down as Cornelius Jasper 
Hawtree; while the fellow who had that strange 
“ rubber-neck ” that he was so fond of stretching- 
to its limit, was Conrad Stedman. 

Davy Jones, too, was a remarkable character, 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


7 

as may be made evident before the last word is 
said in this story. He seemed to be as nimble as 
they make boys; and was forever doing what he 
called “ stunts,” daring any of his comrades to hang 
by their toes from the limb of a tree twenty feet 
from the ground; walking a tight-rope which he 
stretched across a deep gully, and all sorts of other 
dangerous enterprises of that nature. Often he 
was called “ Monkey,” and no nick-name ever given 
by boy playmates fitted better than his. 

Once Davy had been a victim to fits, and on this 
account gained great consideration from his 
teachers at school, as well as from his comrades. 
But latterly there had arisen a suspicion that these 
“ fits ” that doubled him up so suddenly always 
seemed to come just when there was some hard 
work to be done; and once the suspicion that Davy 
was shamming broke in upon the rest, they shamed 
him into declaring himself radically cured. It 
was either that, or take a ducking every time he 
felt one of those spells coming on; so Davy always 
declared the camp air had effected a miracle in his 
case, and that he owed a great deal to his having 
joined the scouts. 

“ Too bad, boys,” said Dr. Hobbs, who was a 
mighty fine young man, and well liked by all the 
scouts in Cranford Troop, although they saw so 
little of him because his pressing duties called him 
away so often; “ but I’ve got to go home on the 


8 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


first train. Doctor Green has a broken leg, and 
there’s nobody to make the rounds among our sick 
people in Cranford. I never was more dis¬ 
appointed in my life, because we’ve fixed things 
for a glorious cruise up here on Old Superior.” 

The boys assured him that they deeply sympa¬ 
thized with him, because they knew it would break 
their hearts to be deprived of their outing, now 
that they had come so far. 

“ Fortunately,” continued Dr. Hobbs, with a 
twinkle in his kindly eyes, “ that isn’t at all neces¬ 
sary; because all arrangements have been made, 
the boat is waiting only a few miles away, and 
you have an efficient assistant scout-master in this 
fine chap here, Thad Brewster, who will take charge 
while I’m away, as he has done on numerous other 
sad occasions.” 

“Hurrah!” burst from Bumpus; “that’s the 
kind of stuff we like to hear. Not that we 
won’t miss you, Doctor, because you know boys 
from the ground up, and we all feel like you’re 
an older brother to us; but we’ve been out with 
Thad so much, we’re kinder used to his ways.” 

“ Well,” continued the scout-master, with a long 
sigh, “ I’ve got to hurry off if I expect to catch 
that afternoon train, and there’s no other until 
morning; so good-bye, boys. Take good care of 
yourselves, and write to me as often as you can. 
I’ll try and picture the jolly happenings of this 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


9 


Lake Superior cruise as I read your accounts of 
it.” 

He squeezed the hand of every one of the six 
lively lads; and there was a huskiness in his voice 
as he bade them a last good-bye that told better 
than words how sorry he was to leave the merry 
bunch, just when they were almost, as Rumpus put 
it, “ in sight of the Promised Water.” 

So the vehicle passed from sight, and the last 
they saw of Doctor Hobbs was a hand waving his 
campaign hat to them just before a bend in the 
country road was reached. 

All of them now turned to Thad to see what his 
plan of campaign would be. 

“ It’s just this way, fellows,” he remarked, with 
one of his smiles that had made him the most popu¬ 
lar boy in all Cranford, barring none; “we’ve got 
about three miles to hit it up before we reach the 
lake shore. Then we’ll make camp and spend 
another night, which I hope will be our last ashore 
for some little time. Because, unless there’s a 
hitch to the program, we ought to come on the 
landing where our boat is going to be in waiting, 
by ten o'clock to-morrow.” 

“ Hurrah! ” cried Bumpus, who was already 
weary of “ hiking,” because his build made him 
less active than some of the other scouts, notably 
Davy and Giraffe. 

“ Let’s get a move on, then,” suggested Step 


10 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


Hen. “ I can see that poor old Giraffe here is 
nearly perishing for a little bite of supper. ’ 

A rippling laugh ran around at this, for every one 
knew the failing of the long-legged scout, whose 
stowage capacity when it came time to eat had 
never as yet within the memory of any comrade 
been fully tested; for they always declared that his 
legs must be hollow, for otherwise it was a mys¬ 
tery where all the food he devoured went to, since 
he never seemed to get any stouter after a meal than 
he was before. 

The march was accordingly resumed, with Thad 
and Allan leading the van. The boys were going 
light, because they did not intend to do much 
camping on this trip, as it was expected that the 
boat would accommodate all of them with sleeping 
quarters. 

Each one had a blanket strapped to his back, 
and with this were a few necessities in the line 
of cooking utensils and food. Most of their lug¬ 
gage had been sent on by another route, as had also 
their supplies. Doctor Hobbs had wished them to 
go to the landing where their boat was to meet 
them, by following this roundabout course, hav¬ 
ing had some reason of his own for visiting 
the country. His folks in Cranford owned con¬ 
siderable land in this vicinity, and it was said 
that there were out-croppings of valuable copper 
to be found upon it; which accounted for the 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


11 


young man’s desire to make inquiries while up 
in this region. 

Joking and laughing, and even singing snatches 
of school songs, the boys of the Silver Fox Patrol 
tramped along the road that was to bring them to 
the shore of the lake by and by. 

It was about half-past four when they obtained 
their first glimpse of the apparently boundless body 
of water, said to be the largest fresh water sea in 
the whole world. Shortly afterwards they reached 
the shore and were looking almost in awe out upon 
the vast expanse of water, upon the bosom of 
which they anticipated making their home for some 
weeks, during vacation time. 

“ Here’s the finest camp site you ever struck in 
your born days, fellers! ” called out Giraffe, as he 
waved his arm around at the trees that grew close 
to the edge of the inland sea; and every one of the 
other five scouts agreed with him. 

They had made many camps in the last two years, 
for they had wandered far from the home town,— 
down in Tennessee, up in Maine, and away out to 
the Rockies on one memorable occasion; but no 
better place to spend a night had ever greeted their 
eyes. 

It was soon a bustling scene, with a fire being 
started, and arrangements made to build a sort of 
lean-to shelter, that would even shed rain in a pinch 


12 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


should a storm come upon them during the night 
they expected to spend here. 

Davy, as usual, was climbing trees, and spying 
into every hole he could find. W hen Monkey 
Jones had a chance to exercise his peculiar gifts 
like this present opportunity afforded him it was 
utterly out of the question to hold him in. And 
so he swung daringly from one limb to another, 
just for all the world like a squirrel, chattering 
at times in a way that Giraffe always declared left 
no doubt in his mind concerning Davy’s having de¬ 
scended from the original tree-climbing tribe that 
sported tails. 

There was one very large tree close by, that is, 
large considering that in this section there were 
few that could boast a girth of more than a foot; 
but this one was really what Bumpus called a 
“ whopper; ” and Davy sported among the higher 
branches with all the delight of a child with a new 
toy; giving the others more than one thrill as he 
swooped this way and that with reckless abandon. 

But suddenly he sent out a shout that caused 
every fellow to take notice; and Bumpus actually 
turned pale with apprehension, as he vainly looked 
around for some sort of weapon with which to de¬ 
fend himself; because he always believed he must 
be a shining mark for any hungry wild beast, on 
account of his plumpness. 

“ Oh! ” shouted the boy in the tree, “ a panther, 
fellers, a really true panther! ” 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


13 


CHAPTER II. 

THAD GOES AFTER THE YELLOW EYES. 

“He says a panther is up there!” echoed 
Giraffe, stretching that long neck of his at a fear¬ 
ful rate, in the endeavor'to locate the animal in 
question. 

All of them became immediately intensely in¬ 
terested in the further doings of Davy Jones. The 
boy chanced to be in a position where he could 
not apparently pass down the trunk of the tree, 
for fear lest he come in contact with the sharp 
claws of the dreaded beast which he claimed was 
hiding up there somewhere; but then that was a 
small matter to one so active as the Jones boy. 

He immediately started to fearlessly slide down 
the outside of the tree, making use of the branches 
as he came along, to stay his progress when it 
threatened to become too rapid. 

The sight of Davy spinning down from that 
height with such perfect abandon, was one none 
of those fellows would ever forget. 

When he finally landed on the ground they gath¬ 
ered around him with some misgivings, for Davy 


14 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


was addicted to practical jokes, and some of his 
chums suspected that even now he was, as Step 
Hen suggested, “ putting up a job on his unsuspect¬ 
ing comrades.” 

One look at his really white face told them that 
at least Davy’s fright had been genuine. He may 
not have seen a truly savage panther up there in the 
tree, but he firmly believed he did. 

“Where was it, Davy?” demanded Giraffe, 
who had hastened to snatch up the camp hatchet 
in lieu of any better weapon with which to defend 
himself. 

“ Did it try to grab you? ” asked Rumpus, with 
a tremor in his voice that he tried in vain to conceal 
by a great show of assumed bluster. 

“And was there only one up there?” queried 
Step Hen, anxiously, fingering the double-barreled 
Marlin shotgun, which was the only firearm they had 
with them, as this expedition had not been or¬ 
ganized with any idea of hunting; and the season 
for game was not on as yet, either, even in this 
northern country; though Giraffe, who owned the 
gun, had fetched it in the hope that they might be 
forgiven if they knocked over a few wild ducks, 
should their rations run low. 

“ I—I didn’t wait to ask,” stammered Davy; 
“ fact is, boys, I didn’t really see the terrible beast 
at all, only his big yellow eyes! ” 

“Oh! is that so, Davy?” exclaimed Thad, turn- 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


15 


ing to give Allan a wink, as much as to let him 
understand that the truth would soon be coming 
now. 

“ But see here,” Step Hen wanted to know; 
“ however was you agoin’ to see his eyes and net 
glimpse the panther himself; that’s a thing you’ve 
got to explain, Davy Jones.” 

The other bent a look of commiseration on the 
speaker. 

“ What’s the answer to that ? ” he went on to 
say, recovering his voice more and more with each 
passing second, now that his personal safety seemed 
assured; “ I’ll tell you, Step Hen. You see, 
there’s a big yawning gap in the tree up there, as 
black inside as your hat after night. And when 
I just happened to look that way what did I see 
but a pair of round yellow eyes astaring straight 
at me! Guess I’ve seen a panther, and I ought to 
know how his eyes look in the dark—just like 
you’ve seen the old cat alooking at you to home, 
when you went into a dark room. Wow! say, did 
you notice me acoming down that tree outside like 
greased lightning? I own up I expected I’d be 
pounced on any second, and that made me in some¬ 
thing like a hurry, fellows! ” 

One or two of the scouts snickered at this. The 
sound appeared to annoy Davy, who was plainly 
very much in earnest. 

“ Huh! easy to laugh, you fellows,” he remarked,. 


16 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


with deep satire in his voice. “ Mebbe, n6w, you 
don’t believe what I’m telling you! Mebbe one 
of you’d like to just climb up there, and see for 
yourself what it is? I dare you, Bumpus!” 

“ You’ll have to excuse me, Davy; it’s too big a 
job for a boy built like me, you understand, though 
sure I’d like to accommodate first rate, ” replied 
the scout with the red hair and mild blue eyes,” 
shrinking back, and shrugging his shoulders. 

“ Then how about you, Step Hen,” pursued 
Davy, determined to put it to each of the scoffers 
in turn until he had shown them up in good style; 
“ I notice that you’re looking like you didn’t 
reckon there couldn’t abeen such a thing as a gen¬ 
uine panther around this region in the last twenty 
years and more. Suppose you tumble up there, 
and take a look-in! ” 

But the party indicated smiled sweetly, and laid 
his hand on the region of his stomach, as he went 
on to say: 

“ Why, really and truly, Davy, I think I’m going 
to have one of those nasty cramps just like you 
used to have so often. There’s a gripe cornin’ on 
right now, and you see how unpleasant it w r ould be 
to find myself doubled-up while I was thirty feet, 
from the ground. I’m afraid I’ll have to pass this 
time.” 

“ Then, there’s Giraffe who’ll be sure to volun¬ 
teer,” continued the other, bound to take all the 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


17 


scoffer? in by turns. “ He’s of an investigating 
turn of mind, and if he wants to, I reckon he might 
take that gun along, so he could have some show, 
if the thing jumped right out in his face! ” 

“ Well, now,” the long-legged scout answered, 
with a whimsical grin, “ I’d like to accommodate 
you the worst kind, Davy, but you know how it is 
with me. I ain’t worth a cooky before I’ve had my 
feed. Feel sorter weak about the knees, to tell you 
the honest truth; and I never was as keen about 
climbing to the top of tall trees as you were, Davy. 
Count me out, please, that’s a good fellow.” 

At that Davy laughed outright. 

“ I see you’ve got cold feet in the bargain, 
Giraffe,” he asserted. “ Well, then, if anybody’s 
going to climb up there and poke that ugly old beast 
out of his den it’ll have to be either our scout¬ 
master, or Allen; for I tell you right now you don’t 
catch me monkeying with a buzz-saw after I’ve 
had my fingers zipped.” 

“ I’ll go,” said Thad, quietly. 

“ Here, take this, Thad,” urged Step Hen, try¬ 
ing to force the shotgun into the hands of the other, 
as he stepped toward the base of the big tree. 

Thad and Allan again exchanged looks. 

“ Don’t think I’ll need it, do you, Allan?” the 
former asked. 

“ Hardly,” came the reply; “ and even if you did 
carry it up, the chances are you couldn’t find a way 


18 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


to hold on, and shoot at the same time. Here, let 
me take that thing, Step Hen; you’re that nervous, 
if anything did happen to fluster you, I honestly 
believe you’d up and bang away, and p’raps fill our 
chum with bird-shot in the bargain.” 

Step Hen disavowed any such weakness, but 
nevertheless he was apparently glad to hand over 
the weapon; because he realized that Allan knew 
much better how to use firearms than he did, and if 
there was any occasion for shooting, the responsi¬ 
bility would be off his shoulders; for Step Hen 
never liked to find himself placed where he was in 
the limelight, and had to make good, or be dis¬ 
graced. 

Thad did not appear to be at all worried as he 
took a last good look aloft, as though wishing to 
assure himself that there was no panther in sight 
among the thick branches above, before he trusted 
himself up there. 

His good common sense told him that the 
chances were as ten to one that Davy had not seen 
what he claimed at all; but his fears had worked 
overtime, and simply magnified some trifling thing. 

Of course had Thad really believed there was any 
chance of meeting such a savage beast as a panther 
he would never have ventured to make that climb; 
or if he did he must have surely taken the gun 
along with him. 

The others gathered around near the foot of the 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


19 


tree, and tried to follow the daring climber with 
their eyes, meanwhile exchanging more or less 
humorous remarks in connection with his mission. 

All of them, saving possibly Allan, seemed to be 
a little nervous concerning the outcome; because 
Davy kept on asserting his positive belief that it 
was a real true panther that lay in the aperture 
above, and not a make-believe. 

“ I only hope Thad can dodge right smart if the 
old thing does come whooping out at him! ” was 
the way Davy put it; at which the eyes of Bumpue 
grew rounder and rounder, and he began to quietly 
edge away from under the tree, an inch at a time; 
fo~ he hoped none of his chums would notice his 
timidity, because Bumpus was proud of having done 
certain things in the line of bagging big game, on 
the occasion of their trip to the Far West. 

“ There,” remarked Step Hen, “ he’s getting up 
pretty far now, and I reckon must be close by the 
place where you saw your old panther, Davy.” 

“ Yes,” added Giraffe, “ and you notice that 
Thad’s marking time, so to speak, for he’s hanging 
out there, and trying to see what’s above him.” 

“ A scout should always use a certain amount of 
caution,” interposed Allan; “ there are times when 
a fellow might take chances, if it’s a case of neces¬ 
sity, and quick action is necessary in order to save 
life; but right now Thad’s only carrying out 
the rule he’s always laid down for the rest of us. 


20 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


Be prepared, you know, is the slogan of every scout'; 
and that’s what he’s doing. He wants to be sure 
of his ground before he jumps.-” 

“ Huh! ” grunted Davy, “ if I’d stopped to count 
ten before I slid down, I wonder now what would 
have happened to me. Some fellers act from im¬ 
pulse every time, and you can’t change the spots of 
the leopard, they say. What’s dyed in the wool 
can’t be washed out, as look as Bumpus here with 
his carroty hair.” 

“ You leave my hair alone, Davy Jones, and pay 
attention to your own business,” complained the 
stout scout, aggressively. “ You just know you’re 
agoing to get it when Thad makes his report, and 
you're trying to draw attention somewhere else. 
Make me think of what I read about the pearl div¬ 
ers when they see an old hungry man-eating shark 
waiting above ’em; they stir up the sand with the 
sharp-pointed stick they carry; and when the water 
gets foggy they swim away without the fish being 
able to see ’em. And you’re atrying right now to 
befog the real case, which is, did you really see any¬ 
thing, or get scared at your own shadow.” 

“ Hear! hear! ” crowed Giraffe, who always liked 
to see Bumpus aroused, and when this occurred he 
often made out to back him up with approval, just 
as some boys would sick one dog on another, or 
tempt rival roosters to come to a “ scrap.” 

“ You fellows let up, and watch what Thad’s 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


21 


agoin’ to do,” Step Hen advised them at that junc¬ 
ture; and so for the time being Davy and Bumpus 
forgot their complaint and riveted their eyes on the 
boy who was up in the tree. 

“ I can’t hardly see him any more, the branches 
are so thick,” complained Bumpus ducking his head 
this way and that. 

“ That’s because he’s gone on again,” argued 
Giraffe; “seems like he didn’t find any signs of a 
real panther when he took that survey.” 

“ Hold your horses! ” was all Davy allowed him¬ 
self to say, though no doubt he himself had com¬ 
menced to have serious doubts by now. 

Half a minute later and there broke out a series 
of strange sounds from up above their heads. 

“ Listen to that, now, would you ? ” cried Davy, 
bristling with importance again. “ Don’t that 
sound like Thad might a hit up against something 
big? Hear him talking, will you? Didn’t you 
catch what he said right then—‘ no, you don’t grab 
me, you rascal; I’m afraid I’ll have to knock you 
on the head yet! ’ Say, don’t that sound like Thad 
had found my panther, and was keeping him off 
with that club he took up with him. Oh! what’s 
that?” 

Something came crashing down as Davy uttered 
this last exclamation. The boys were horrified at 
first, because they imagined it might be Thad and 
the panther, that, meeting in midair, had lost'their 


22 THE BOY SCOUTS 

grip, and were falling to the ground, fully forty 
feet below. 

“Why, it’s only his club!” cried Giraffe, 
quickly. 

“ Then he must have let it get knocked out of 
his hand! ” ejaculated Bumpus. “ Oh! poor Thad, 
he’ll be in a bad fix without a single thing to fight 
that animal with! ” 

“ That’s where you’re mistaken, because I can 
see him now, and he’s acoming down the tree right 
smart! ” Step Hen announced; which intelligence 
allowed Bumpus to breathe freely again, for his 
face was getting fiery red with the suspense that 
had gripped him. 

“That’s so!” echoed Giraffe, “and I’m looking 
to see if there’s any signs of a big cat trailing after 
him; but so far nothing ain’t come in sight.” 

The five scouts on the ground hastened to close 
in around the foot of the big tree, so as to welcome 
their patrol leader when he dropped from the lower 
limb. 

“ Seems to me Thad acts kind of clumsy, for 
him,” announced Step Hen; “ now, if it’d been 
Bumpus here I could understand it, because, well 
I won’t say what I was agoing to, because it might 
make hard feelings between us; and with all his 
shortcomings Bumpus is a good sort of a chap.” 

“ Huh! dassent, that’s what! ” grunted the party 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


indicated, making a threatening gesture in the 
direction of his fellow-scout. 

The arrival of the scout-master caused them to 
forget all other things. Thad, as soon as he found 
his feet fixed on solid ground once more, strode 
straight up until he faced Davy Jones, and suddenly 
called out: 

“ There’s your panther, Davy! ” 
inere was a craning of necks, a gasping of 
breaths, and then a series of yells broke forth that 
made the nearby woods fairly ring with the echoea 


24 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


CHAPTER III. 

THE CAMP ON THE LAKE SHORE, 

“Why, it’s only a big owl!” shouted Giraffe. 

“ Hey, Davy, shake hands with your yellow¬ 
eyed panther! ” roared Step Hen. 

Bumpus snatched up his bugle, for he held that 
office in the Cranford Troop, and let out a piercing 
series of blasts that would have undoubtedly 
frightened any wild animal, had there been such 
within a mile of the camp on the lake shore. 

It was a large owl that Thad grasped in such 
fashion that the bird could not reach him with its 
curved beak, though it made several vicious lunges, 
as though anxious to fight the whole patrol at once. 

He had kept it hidden under his coat when de¬ 
scending the tree, and now gripped it firmly by its 
two splendidly colored wings. 

“Well, it did have yellow eyes, all right,” com¬ 
plained the dejected Davy; “ and as it stuck there in 
that black hole, how was I to know it was only a 
harmless old owl, a hooter at that? ” 

“If you think he’s harmless just try and lay a 
finger on him,” said Thad. “ Why, he’d snap at 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


25 


you like lightning; once let that beak strike and 
you’d lose a piece of skin as big as a half dollar. 
He’s a savage bird, let me warn you.” 

“ Oh! say, can’t we keep him for a pet? ” ejacu¬ 
lated Bumpus, who could hardly take his eyes off 
the bird, for its plumage was certainly beautiful, be¬ 
ing a combination of creamy yellows and nut 
browns, while two bunches stuck up like horns from 
the region of his ears. 

“ I’ve got a nice little chain we might put around 
one of his legs, and what fun we’d have with the 
thing while we were afloat on the raging lake,” Step 
Hen went on to say. 

“ Allan, get on that thick pair of gloves we 
brought, and see if you could fasten the chain to his 
leg. It would be worth while to have some sort of 
pet along with us; because Bumpus has kicked over 
the traces long ago, and won’t let us make a baby 
out of him any more,” Thad went on to remark. 

When he had protected his hands in this way Al¬ 
lan had little difficulty in adjusting the slender but 
strong steel chain which Step Hen had brought with 
him, intending to use it, in case he managed to cap¬ 
ture a raccoon, or some other small beast, for he 
was especially fond of pets. 

When they had fastened the other end of the 
chain to something the owl sat on the limb of a 
tree, and gazed at them with blinking eyes. There 
was still enough of daylight, with all that glow in 


26 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


the western heavens, to interfere with his sight 
more or less, and he simply ruffled up his feathers 
in high dudgeon, and kept trying to pick at the 
chain that held his leg. 

“ Now, that’s what I call a pretty good start,” 
argued Step Hen, as he stood in front of the chained 
owl, and admired his plumage; “ p’raps later on I 
might happen to land a ’coon or a mink, who knows. 
I’ve always believed that I’d like to have a pet mink, 
though somebody told me they couldn’t be tamed.” 

“ Yes,” went on Giraffe scornfully, “ if you had 
your way the whole boat’d be a floating menagerie, 
you’ve got such a liking for pets. The mink would 
soon be joined by a ’possum; then would come a 
pair of muskrats; after which we’d expect to find 
a fox under our feet every time we stepped; a 
wolverine growling like fun at us when we made 
the least move; a squirrel climbing all over us; a 
heron perched on the garboard streak, whatever that 
might be; and mebbe a baby bear rolling on the 
deck. All them things are possible, once Step Hen 
gets started on his collecting stunt. 

“ Well, forget it now, won’t you, Giraffe, be¬ 
cause there goes Bumpus putting supper on the 
fire; and unless you look sharp he'll just cut down 
your ration till you’ll only get as much as any two 
of us,” advised Step Hen. 

In spite of all these little encounters of wit, and 
the sharp things that were sometimes said, boy 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


27 


fashion, theee six chums were as fond of each other 
as any lads could possibly be. There was hardly 
anything they would not have done for one another, 
given the opportunity; and this had been proved 
many times in the past. 

While they were fond of joking the tall scout 
on his appetite, truth to tell every one of the others 
could display a pretty good stowage capacity when 
it came to disposing of the meals. And so they 
were all anxious to help Bumpus when he started 
getting the camp supper ready. 

Besides these six lads there were of course two 
others v/ho went to make up the full complement 
of the Silver Fox Patrol; and who have figured 
in previous stories of this series. 

These boys were named Robert Quail White, who 
was Southern born, and went by the name of “ Bob 
White,” among his friends; and Edmund Maurice 
Travers Smith, conveniently shortened to plain 
“ Smithy.” 

These two had taken a different route to the 
lake, and expected to meet their six chums at a 
given rendezvous. They were intending also to 
make use of another boat, since the one engaged 
for the party would only accommodate seven at a 
pinch, and counting the scout-master they would 
have numbered nine individuals in all. 

The other two had found that they wanted to see 
the wonder fti Soo Canal, and the rapids that the 


28 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


St. Mary river boasts at that point, where the 
pent-up waters of Superior rush through the St. 
Mary’s river to help swell the other Great Lakes, 
and eventually pass through the St. Lawrence river 
to the sea. 

It is no joke cooking for half a dozen hungry 
scouts, and the one whose duty compelled him to 
be the chef for a day had to count on filling the 
capacity of coffee-pot and frying-pans, of which 
latter there were two. 

Evening had settled down upon them by the time 
they were ready to enjoy the supper of Boston 
baked beans, fried onions with the steak that had 
been procured at the last town they had passed 
through; crackers, some bread that one of them 
toasted to a beautiful brown color alongside the 
fire, and almost scorched his face in the bargain; 
and the whole flanked by the coffee which was “ like 
ambrosia,” their absent chum Smithy would have 
said, until they dashed some of the contents of the 
evaporated cream into each tin cup, along with 
lumps of sugar. 

“ This is what I call living,” sighed Giraffe, as 
he craned his neck visibly in the endeavor to see 
whether there was a third “ helping ” left in the 
pan for “ manners,” which was another name for 
Conrad Stedman. 

“ Hadn't we better save this piece of steak for 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


29 


Jim?” suggested Step Hen, wickedly, for that was 
the name he had given to the captive owl. 

“ No, you don’t,” objected Giraffe, vociferously, 
just as the other had known he would do; “that’s 
the very last beefsteak we’re apt to see for half a 
moon; and I say it would be a shame to waste it 
on a heathen bird. Besides, you couldn’t coax 
Jim to take a bite till he’s nearly starved; ain’t 
that so, Thad ? ” 

They always appealed to either the assistant 
scout-master or Allan, whenever any question like 
this came up, connected with bird or animal lore; 
and no matter how puzzling the matter might seem 
to the one who asked, it was promptly answered in 
nearly every instance. 

“ Yes, he isn’t likely to take hold for a day or 
two,” replied Thad. “ By that time the old fellow 
will sort of get used to seeing us about; and he 
won’t refuse to eat when you put something out for 
him; only all of you be careful that he doesn’t pre¬ 
fer a piece out of your hand. Don’t trust him 
ever! ” 

“ You can make up your mind 1 won’t give him 
a chance to grab me,” asserted Bumpus, never 
dreaming that by accident he would be the very 
first to feel the force of that curved beak. 

“ Listen! ” exclaimed Step Hen; “ as sure as 
anything there’s another! Why, this must be 
what you might call Owl-land.” 


30 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


From far away in the timber came the plain 
sound of hooting. All of the scouts knew what it 
was easily enough, though there had been a time 
when they were real tenderfeet, and could hardly 
distinguish between the call of an owl and the 
braying of a donkey; but camping-out experience 
had done away with all such ignorance as that. 

“ There, don’t that make you feel foolish, Step 
Hen?” demanded Bumpus. 

“ Me ? Whatever put that silly notion into your 
head, Bumpus ? ” 

“ Why,” the other went on to say, reproach¬ 
fully, “ it was you that really wanted to keep the 
poor old bird; and just listen to its mate mourn¬ 
ing for it, would you? I’d think you’d feel so 
sorry you’d want to unfasten that chain right away, 
and give the owl its freedom.” 

“ Not for Joseph, though I’ll let you go and undo 
his chain if you feel inclined that way,” Step Hen 
observed, knowing full well that Bumpus did not 
want to see the feathered captive set free quite that 
bad. “ Besides, how d’ye know that’s a mate to 
my bird whooping it up back there ? ” 

“ Well, if you want to find out, just you sleep 
with one eye open,” Bumpus told him; “ and take 
it from me you’ll see that other owl come winnow¬ 
ing around here, wanting to know why our new 
pet don’t come when she calls.” 

“Huh! mebbe I will,” was all Step Hen would 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


31 


say about it; but evidently the idea had appealed to 
him; and there was a chance that he would indulge 
in very little rest that night, for trying to “ keep 
one eye open while he slept.” 

After supper was all over, and the boys lay 
around on their blankets, they fell to talking of 
other days when they had been in company, and 
met with a great many surprising adventures. 

Then Bumpus, who really had a very fine tenor 
voice, which he could strain so as to sing soprano 
like a bird, was coaxed to favor them with a num¬ 
ber of selections, the others coming in heavy in 
each chorus. 

Sometimes it was a popular ballad of the day 
that Bumpus gave them; but more often a school 
chorus, or it might be some tender Scotch song 
like “ Cornin’ Through the Rye,” “ Annie Laurie,” 
or “ Twickenham Ferry;” for boys can appreciate 
such sentiments more than most folks believe; and 
especially when in an open air camp, with the breeze 
sighing through the trees around them, or the waves 
murmuring as they wash the sandy shore of a lake, 
and the moonlight throwing a magical spell upon 
all their surroundings; for there is the seed of 
romance in the heart of nearly every healthy lad. 

So the evening wore on until some of them began 
to yawn frequently, showing that they were ready 
to turn in. As one of them had said, this might 
be the last time they would camp ashore during 


32 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


the trip, because on the morrow they antic. a, 
unless something unforeseen came up to prew 
it, going aboard their boat, and starting on t 
cruise upon the big waters of Superior. 

They had no tent on this occasion, but really that 
was not going to prove any hardship to these bold 
lads, accustomed to spending many a night in the 
woods, with only a blanket for a cover against the 
dew and frost. 

It was arranged to keep the fire going. This 
would serve in a double capacity, for not only would 
they be kept warm through the cold part of the 
night, but if there did happen to be any wild beasts 
around in that section of the Lake Superior country, 
which both Allan and Thad rather doubted, why, 
the glow of the blaze was apt to make them keep 
their distance. 

The last thing Giraffe remembered, as his heavy 
eyes persisted in closing, was seeing Step Hen bob 
up his head to stare over toward the low branch 
upon which the captive owl was fastened; as though 
he might have arranged a program with himself, 
and meant to do this thing at stated intervals all 
through the night 

Giraffe chuckled at the idea of sacrificing good 
sleep in the interest of knowledge; he was willing 
to simply ask some one who knew, and be satisfied 
to accept their answer as conclusive. 

An hour later and the camp seemed to be all quiet, 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


33 


for every one was apparently sound asleep. Even 

ad and Allan had known of no reason why a 
; >; tch should be maintained, for they felt sure there 
could hardly be a human being within miles of the 
camp; and even if this were not so, the chances 
were strongly in favor of its proving to be an honest 
farmer, or some miner on his way to the workings 
further west. 

The only sounds that could have been heard from 
time to time were an occasional peevish fretful 
croak from the captive owl, as it continued to peck 
savagely at the chain around its leg ; or it might be 
a snore from Bumpus, or some other fellow who 
had a fashion of lying squarely on his back. 

Perhaps pretty soon, when one of the scouts had 
been kept awake by this noise until patience ceased 
to be a virtue, he would get quietly up, and pour 
a tin-cup of lake water over the one who persisted 
in sleeping with his mouth wide open; for that sort 
of radical remedy had proven effective on other 
occasions, and brought relief. 

It must have been almost midnight when a sud¬ 
den change came about that took even the seasoned 
campers by surprise, for they had not been antici¬ 
pating any such startling event. 

The stillness was broken by a piercing scream 
that caused every head to bob up, and the blankets 
to be hurriedly thrown aside. 

“ My owl’s mate has come in on us, mebbe! ** 


34 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


exclaimed Step Hen; for that idea was so firmly 
lodged in his brain that it had to occur to him in¬ 
stinctively as soon as he heard all that row. 

But some of the others were wiser, for they knew 
that shout had surely come from human lips. 

Giraffe was the first to call out and draw their at¬ 
tention to certain facts. 

“ Looky there at old Bumpus dancing a jig, will 
you! Whatever ails the feller, d’ye think! Acts 
like he’d clean gone out of his head, and got 
loony!” he cried, as with the other boys he came 
tumbling out from under the rude shelter made of 
branches. 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


35 


CHAPTER IV. 

LAUNCHED ON THE INLAND SEA. 

Sure enough Bumpus was in plain sight, for the 
fire still burned, and there was also a bright moon 
high up in the heavens. The fat scout seemed to 
be trying to execute all the steps in a Southern 
hoedown, or an Irish jig; for he was prancing 
around this way and that, holding on to his hand, 
which the other boys now discovered was streaked 
with blood! 

“Oh! what’s happened to you, Bumpus?” cried 
Step Hen, as he ran out toward the spot where the 
other continued to waltz around in his bright red 
and white striped pajamas, that made him look like 
an “ animated sawed-off barber’s pole,” as one of 
his chums had once told him. 

“ It bit me, oh! I’ll bleed to death, I reckon 
now! ” wailed the other; “ say, Thad, get out some 
of that purple stuff you use for scratches from wild 
animals. Mebbe blood poisoning’ll develop; and 
I’d just hate the worst kind to die up here, away off 
from my own home.” 


36 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


“ What bit you; can’t you tell us, Bumpus ? ” 
asked Thad, though already he may have had 
suspicions that way. 

“Jim did, the bally old owl!” came the dismal 
answer; “ please, oh! please tell me whether his 
beak is poisonous, won’t you, Thad? ” 

“Well, what d’ye think of that?” ejaculated 
Step Hen; “ however did you happen to meddle 
with my owl, tell me? Sure, I did give you per¬ 
mission to unchain him, if you had the nerve; but 
I never did believe you’d go and take me up at 
that.” 

“ I didn’t neither,” Bumpus declared, still danc¬ 
ing around. 

“ Here, let me see that wound! ” called out Thad, 
as he and Allan cornered the sufferer; “ all it may 
need is washing, and then binding up with some 
healing salve. But it makes a nasty cut, don’t it, 
Allan?” 

“ I should say yes,” replied the other; “but it’s 
some lucky it wasn’t his face the bird struck at. 
Why, Bumpus might have lost an eye.” 

At that possibility the fat scout set up another 
roar. 

“ Just you believe the old thing meant to snap 
my eye out when he bit at me; and I must have 
happened to put out my hand, so he struck that! ” 
he declared; while Allan hastened to open a packet, 
and take out some salve and tape such as scouts 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


37 


should always carry along with them when in camp, 
because there is no telling when it may be needed 
badly, just as in the present instance. 

“ But see here, what possessed you to walk 
around in this way, and go over to try and pet that 
savage bird ? ” asked Thad. 

“ Give you my solemn affidavit that I don't know 
a single thing about it! ” the other went on to say, as 
solemn as the owl that sat on the branch near by. 

“ Do you mean you don’t remember getting up, 
and coming out here ? ” continued the scout-master, 
who always probed things to the very dregs, or un¬ 
til he had extracted all the information possible. 

“ Not a thing,” reaffirmed Bumpus, and his face 
showed that he was speaking only the truth. “ I 
can remember laying down for a snooze, and then 
everything seems to be blank after that, till all of a 
sudden I felt that awful pain, and it made me let 
out a whoop, I’m telling you.” 

“ I should think it did,” muttered Giraffe; “ ten 
Injuns rolled into one couldn’t beat that howl. I 
sure thought the panther had got you that time! ” 

“ Well, likely I thought just that same thing, 
Giraffe, when I warbled that way, because I re¬ 
member now I was dreaming about gray-coated 
panthers. Then I thought about rattlesnakes too, 
because you know I can’t stand for the crawlers. 
Next thing I opened my eyes with a jump, and 
saw that old owl, with every feather on his back 


38 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


standing up like the quills of a porcupine, and try¬ 
ing to jab me a second time.” 

Thad and Allan, who had now returned in time 
to hear this last exchanged looks. 

“A clear case of sleep walking, seems like!” 
ventured the former. 

“ Oh! my goodness gracious! I thought I was 
over them tricks years ago! ” exclaimed Bumpus, 
shivering. “If they’re agoing to take me again I 
see my finish; because some night I’ll walk off a 
precipice, and that’ll be the end of me.” 

“ We’ll like as not have to tie you by the leg 
every night, just like Jim is now; and that’ll stop 
•you prancing around loose, trying to set my pets 
free in your sleep,” Step Hen went on to say, re¬ 
assuringly; but somehow Bumpus did not seem to 
take to the idea the least bit. 

“ You let me alone, that’s all, Step Hen Bing¬ 
ham,” he told the other, “ and I’ll fix my own busi¬ 
ness. That’s what comes of you keeping the silly 
old owl. Serve you about right if his mate dropped 
in and bit the end of your big toe off to pay you 
up for fastening that chain on the poor thing’s leg.” 

“ Say, I like that, now; when you were the very 
first one to ask if we couldn’t keep that same owl! ” 
Step Hen told him. 

“ Wow! that hurts some, let me tell you, fel¬ 
lows ! ” groaned the fat scout, when Allan was put¬ 
ting some salve, calculated to help heal the wound 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


&) 

on the torn place, and then with the assistance of the 
scout-master started binding the hand up with wind¬ 
ings of soft linen that came in a tape roll two inches 
wide. 

“ But let me tell you it’s some chilly out here, with 
only pajamas on,” objected Giraffe; “ and for one 
I’m going to skip back under my blanket, where I 
can snuggle down. Somebody remember to throw 
a little wood on the fire, please. Let Davy do it.” 

Of course that really meant either the scout¬ 
master or Allan; and Giraffe often had a failing for 
shirking some duty like this. It was so easy to ex¬ 
pect some other to do disagreeable things; though 
as a rule the boys were accustomed to saying, “ let 
Davy do it,” until it had become so tiresome that 
the Jones boy had rebelled, and refused to be the 
errand boy any longer for the entire patrol. 

In half an hour silence again brooded over the 
camp. Bumpus must have done something to make 
sure he did not start walking in his sleep again, for 
nothing occurred to disturb their slumbers until 
dawn came along and, with birds singing, as well 
as gray squirrels barking lustily at the intruders, 
awakened them all. 

Breakfast was hurried, because all of them were 
anxious to be on the move. They knew that by 
following the shore of the big water several miles 
they would come to the point where there was a 
village, with something of a landing place in a shel- 


4u 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


tered nook; and here they expected to find their boat 
awaiting them. 

It was about an hour after sun-up that the cheery 
notes of Bumpus’ silver-toned bugle gave the signal 
for the start; and the six khaki-clad lads could be 
seen moving at a fairly fast pace along the shore 
of the lake. Step Hen had managed to bundle the 
captive owl in a spare sweater, so he could carry 
him all right without danger. 

The little waves came purling up close to their 
feet, and seemed to welcome the strangers to their 
domain; but Thad knew full well that under dif¬ 
ferent conditions these same waves would unite to 
threaten them with destruction. 

Step Hen having found a way to muzzle the owl, 
so that he could carry the prisoner without fear of 
dire attacks from that sharp beak seemed more de¬ 
termined than ever to try and keep Jim; and he 
frowned every time he saw Bumpus observing the 
bird thoughtfully, because he imagined the fat scout 
might be hatching up a scheme for choking the 
thick-necked prisoner, in revenge for what he had 
suffered from its savage thrust. 

Finally a loud shout was heard from Giraffe, 
who, being so much taller than the balance of the 
scouts, and possessed of a neck he could stretch to 
an alarming degree, was in a position to see much 
further than the rest. 

“ The village is in sight! ” he announced, 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


41 


whereat there was a cheer, the owl commenced to 
struggle afresh, and Step Hen had his hands full 
trying to quiet his feathered prisoner. 

With their goal now close at hand the boys were 
able to step out at a more lively pace, even Bum- 
pus showing surprising gains. 

About ten o’clock they arrived at the settlement 
where they had seen some sort of dock, at which^a 
couple of ore barges of the whaleback type were be¬ 
ing loaded. 

Already the eager eyes of the boys had discov¬ 
ered a boat that answered the description of the 
one they expected to find awaiting them. 

Making straight for the place they found that 
they had guessed rightly. That good sized power¬ 
boat was the Chippeway Belle, the vessel which was 
to be their home for the next two weeks or more, as 
they pleased. 

An investigation revealed the fact that their 
stores were all aboard, as well as their extra sup¬ 
plies that went under the general designation of 
“ duffel.” 

“ Nothing else for us to do but go aboard, and 
make a bully start, is there, Thad?” asked the im¬ 
patient Giraffe, eager to find out how the craft 
could go; for up to now the Silver Fox Patrol had 
generally spent their outings on dry land; and this 
idea of a cruise had come somewhat in the shape of 
what Thad called an “ innovation.” 


42 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


“ Nothing at all, Giraffe,” replied the other, him¬ 
self looking pleased at the prospect of being about 
to start on such a splendid pleasure trip. 

“ How about paying for the use of the boat; has 
all that been attended to?” asked careful Bumpus, 
who was not so very much of a water-dog himself, 
and rather viewed the prospect of getting out of 
sight of land on board so small a craft with any¬ 
thing but exultant delight; indeed, to tell the honest 
truth, the fat scout was already secretly sorry he 
had come. 

“ Oh! yes,” replied Thad, quickly; “ Dr. Hobbs 
attended to all that for us; fact is, this boat is owned 
by a friend of his, which was how we got it as 
cheap as we did. And more than that, the gentle¬ 
man attended to packing all our supplies at the Soo, 
and sent the boat here on a steamer, so we could 
start from this place. It was Dr. Philanders idea, 
you know, this coming through the copper region 
along the south shore of the lake. And now, if 
you’re all of the same mind, let's get started.” 

“ Hurrah; hoist the Pennant of the Silver 
Fox Patrol that your Sister Polly made us, Giraffe, 
and every fellow dip his hat to the colors of the 
gay Chippeway Belle!” and in answer to this re¬ 
quest on the part of Davy Jones they did salute 
the raising of the neat little burgee that had a silver 
fox fashioned in silken hand-work upon it. 

Thad examined the engine carefully. He knew 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


43 


considerable about such things, and yet he fancied 
he might haye more or less trouble with the motive 
power of this Lake Superior boat; for it was of 
rather an ancient pattern, and had evidently seen 
its best days. 

Between them Thad and Allan confessed this 
much, but they did not think it good policy to say 
anything to the others, though anxious Bumpus 
watched their conference uneasily, and could be 
seen to carefully pick out a spot on the rail where 
he perched, and seemed inclined to stay—it was 
handy to a quick getaway in case the worst hap¬ 
pened, and the engine blew up, as he whispered to 
himself. 

After he had, as he believed, mastered the rudi¬ 
ments of the working of the motor Thad told them 
to cast off, and they would make a start. Several 
men stood around to watch them get away, among 
them the party in whose charge the boat had been 
left, and who had only delivered it up after Thad 
had produced an order for the same, and paid cer¬ 
tain expenses for storage and watching. 

“ We’re moving at last! ” called Step Hen ex¬ 
citedly, as the machinery started to go with a rush, 
after Thad had cranked the engine. 

Allan stood by the wheel, and as the prow of the 
boat gurgled through the clear waters of the great 
lake every scout was thrilled with the vast possi- 


44 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


bilities that faced them, now that their cruise had 
begun. 

“ This means that we’ll eat our first meal aboard 
at noon to-day,” remarked Giraffe who seemed de¬ 
termined that no regular feeding time might be 
neglected, if he could help it. 

“ You ought to be a happy fellow, Giraffe,” re¬ 
marked Davy Jones, “ after taking a look over the 
piles of grub we’ve got aboard. Why, do you know 
there’s a whole big ham, two slabs of bacon, and all 
sorts of good things. No danger of any of us going 
hungry on this excursion; unless the old tub should 
happen to sink, and leave us marooned on some 
rocky island.” 

“Oh! see here, stop joking about that sort of 
thing, Davy,” remonstrated Bumpus, shivering as 
though he felt a cold draught; “ I know right well 
that if such a horrible thing ever did happen to us, 
the rest of you’d make up your minds to begin on 
me the first thing.” 

“ Well, that’s the penalty you have to pay, Bum- 
pus, for being so tempting,” chuckled Step Hen; 
“ now, who’d ever think of picking Giraffe out for 
a dainty meal; why he’s as skinny as an old crow.” 

“ There are times when it pays right well to be 
thin,” remarked the scout held up to derision, “ and 
that’d be one of ’em, I reckon.” 

They were by now far away from the ore dock, 
and the barges that were loading; indeed it was only 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


45 


with an effort they could see either, for a haze had 
crept over the surface of the lake. The Chippeway 
Belle had been going along at quite a fair pace, 
though making more noise than was agreeable to 
either Thad or Allan, when all at once, without the 
least warning there was heard a loud report. In¬ 
stantly the sound of the engine ceased. 

“ She’s broke down, and we’re wrecked already! ” 
yelled Giraffe, excitedly. 

“ Oh! mercy! and she may explode at any second 
now!” cried poor Bumpus; after which, in sheer 
desperation he jumped deliberately overboard, 
clinging to the side of the swaying craft, and in mo¬ 
mentary expectation of hearing a fearful crash, as 
the gasolene tank went up. 


46 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


CHAPTER V. 

THE RESCUE. 

“ Tell us what to do, Thad, and count on us to 
follow you! ” called out Giraffe, rising manfully to 
the occasion; though to tell the honest truth he 
looked pretty “ white around the gills/’ as Step Hen 
remarked later on, when they all found time to com¬ 
pare experiences. 

“ Just stick to your seats, and don’t bother! ” was 
the quick reply Thad sent back. 

“ Then there ain’t any danger? ” demanded Davy, 
drawing the only decent breath he had dared in¬ 
dulge in since that first alarm. 

“ Not a bit! ” called Allan, cheerily. 

“ And we ain’t goin’ to have to swim for it 
then? ” Step Hen went on. 

“ Not unless you feel like taking a bath,” replied 
Thad. 

“But what happened to our engine?” asked 
Davy. 

“ And will we have to pole, or row, the rest of 
the trip? ” proceeded Giraffe. “ I see our finish if 
that comes around so early in the cruise. Wow! 



ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


47 


me to hike through the woods afoot, when it hits a 
fellow as hard as this.” 

“ Me too! ” sighed Step Hen. 

“ Oh! don’t get excited, boys,” remarked Thad, 
with a broad smile; “ no danger of anything like 
that happening to us just yet. I was half expecting 
something along these lines to happen; and now that 
it has, we’ll fix that part for keeps. It won’t come 
around again, I promise you that.” 

“ Which isn’t saying something else won’t,” 
grumbled Giraffe. “ The blame old tub is just 
about ready to go to pieces on us, the first chance 
she gets; and that’s what I think.” 

“ Not so bad as that, Giraffe,” remonstrated 
Thad. “ This engine has been a great one in its 
day.” 

“Yes, but that day was about away back in the 
time of Stephenson,” continued the tall scout, who, 
once he began to complain, could only be shut off 
with the greatest difficulty. 

Everybody seemed to laugh at that, it was so 
ridiculous; but as Thad was already busily engaged 
in examining the engine their spirits seemed to rise 
a little. 

“Hey! ain’t anybody agoin’ to help me in?” 
piped up a small voice just then, accompanied by a 
splashing sound. 

The boys exchanged looks, and then followed 
nods, as though like a flash they saw the chance to 


48 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


play something of a joke on the comrade who was 
thus appealing for aid. 

“ Hello! where’s the other fellow?” exclaimed 
Allan, as though he had counted noses, and found 
one missing. 

“ That's so, where can he be ? ” echoed Thad. 

“Who’s missing?” Thad went on to say. “If 
Bob White was only here we’d have him call the 
roll and find out. There used to be six in the 
bunch.” 

“ It must be Bumpus! ” declared Giraffe, 
solemnly. 

“You’re right!” said a spluttering voice from 
some unseen place. 

“ The poor old silly thing, he just jumped right 
over into the water without saying Jack Robinson! " 
Step Hen observed, in such a sad voice you would 
have thought he was having the tears streaming 
down his cheeks, when in truth there was a wide 
grin settled there. 

“ Oh! then he must surely be drowned,” Davy 
went on to add, in a voice that seemed to be chok¬ 
ing with emotion—of some sort. 

“ I thought I saw the lake rising, and that ac¬ 
counts for it,” ventured Step Hen. “ When a fel¬ 
low as big as our poor chum goes down, he displaces 
just an equal part of water. However will we tell 
his folks the sad news?” 

“ Ain’t you nearly done all that stuff ? ” demanded 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


49 


an impatient voice, and there was a rocking motion 
to the boat; after which a very red face surmounted 
by a shock of fiery hair, now well plastered down, 
hove in sight. “ Hey! somebody get a move on, and 
give me a hand. I’m soaked through and through, 
and I tell you my clothes weigh nigh on three tons.” 

The five boys pretended to be hardly able to be¬ 
lieve their eyes. They threw up their hands, and 
stared hard at the apparition. 

“ Why, sure, I believe it’s our long .lost chum, 
Bumpus! ” gasped Giraffe. 

“ Mebbe it’s his ghost come back to haunt us the 
rest of our lives. Mebbe we better knock him on the 
head; they say that’s the only sure way to settle 
spooks,” and as Step Hen said this terrible thing, 
he started to pick up the long-handled boat hook. 

“ No, you don’t, Step Hen! ” shrilled Bumpus, 
who was really frightened as long as he remained 
in the water, for he believed it must be a mile deep 
so far out from land. “ You just put that pole 
down, and get hold of my arm here. I tell you I’m 
tired of being in soak so long, and I want to come 
aboard, so’s to get some dry duds on. Make ’em 
behave, Thad, can’t you? I’m getting weak hold¬ 
ing on here all this while; and pretty soon I’ll have 
to let go. Then there will be a ghost, sure, to haunt 
this crowd. Ain’t you coming to assist a fellow 
scout in distress? ” 

Realizing that the joke had gone far enough the 


50 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


scout-master himself sprang forward to give poor 
Bumpus the assistance he craved. 

There was no lack of help after that. Step Hen 
even made use of the boat hook to take hold of some 
part of the wet scout’s clothes; and with a mighty 
“ heave-o! ” they dragged him, puffing, and shed¬ 
ding gallons of water, on to the deck of the stalled 
power-boat. Here he lay for a minute or two “ to 
drain,” as Giraffe remarked, but soon feeling chilled, 
Bumpus began to hunt for his clothes-bag in order 
to get something dry to put on. 

As he did not have a complete outfit for a change, 
the other fellows helped out; but while his soaked 
khaki suit was drying, hanging here and there so the 
sun could do the business, the fat scout presented a 
laughable appearance, since of course none of the 
things that had been so generously loaned him be¬ 
gan to fit his stout figure. 

However, since Bumpus was by nature a jolly 
chap, he quickly saw the humor of the thing. This 
was after he had become warmed up fairly well, 
when he could sit and watch those who were tinker¬ 
ing with the broken engine, and tell what his feel¬ 
ings were as he sprang so hurriedly over into the 
big lake. 

It made him shiver, though, to look around at 
that sea of water, and realize what an exceedingly 
reckless boy he had been. 

“ Next time anything happens, me to stick to the 



ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


51 


old boat, even if I go up a mile high in the air! ” 
he declared, raising his right hand solemnly, as 
though taking a vow. 

“ Have your wings ready, Bumpus, and you’ll be 
all right, because you can fly,” said Giraffe; and 
that provoked another laugh; because Bumpus, once 
upon a time, being very ambitious to learn how to 
swim, had purchased a pair of those “ White 
Wings,” which are simply bags made of waterproof 
cloth that can be inflated, and used after the manner 
of life preservers; so that he had had heaps of fun 
poked at him on account of his “ wings.” 

So a full hour passed. 

Some of the boys were growing impatient, and to 
relieve the monotony, Thad managed to call the at¬ 
tention of Giraffe to the fact that it lacked only ten 
minutes of high noon. 

That was enough. 

“I thought I was feeling pretty weak!” ex¬ 
claimed the tall scout, rubbing his stomach sympa¬ 
thetically, “ and no wonder, with breakfast so far 
back I’ve even clean forgot what I had. Come 
along, boys, let’s get busy with lunch.” 

“ The rest of you can attend to that,” said Thad, 
satisfied that his plan had worked; “and by the 
time you are ready to call us, we’ll have this job all 
done, so we can start her going.” 

That was cheering news, and the rest immedi¬ 
ately set to work with a will. There was a little 


52 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


stove aboard that used gasolene for fuel, and with 
this it seemed as though they ought to be able to do 
all the cooking they wanted when away from land. 
Of course should they have the opportunity, they 
meant to go ashore many times, and have one of the 
old-fashioned camp-fires, around which they had 
sat so many times in the past, when on their outings. 

Before long the smell of cooking that filled the 
air told that the laborers were making a success of 
the warm lunch business. Bumpus in particular 
seemed fairly wild for things to get done. 

“ I tell you I just can’t seem to get any warmth 
inside me,” he complained when Step Hen took him 
to task for showing such unusual impatience. 
“ That water was as cold as Greenland, and went 
right through me. I want my coffee, and I know 
when I w r ant it.” 

“ Guess your being so badly scared had a heap to 
do with it,” remarked Giraffe. 

“ Perhaps so, Giraffe,” replied the fat scout, 
meekly; “ I admit that I w r as frightened out of a 
year’s growth, because I once dreamed I was burned 
in just such an accident as a boat taking fire. But 
how r about you, Giraffe? The first time my head 
came up above the coaming of the deck I saw your 
face, and say, talk to me about a gravestone being 
white, that wasn’t anything alongside your phiz.” 

“You don't say!” jeered the tall scout, though 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


53 


he looked conscious of the fact that his face was 
now as red as a beet. 

“ And chances are that you didn’t jump the same 
way I did because you were scared so bad you just 
couldn't move a finger,” Bumpus went on, seeing his 
advantage. 

“ Thad! ” called out Giraffe, scorning to pay at¬ 
tention to the thrust. 

“ All right! ” answered the other. 

“ Lunch ready! ” Giraffe went on to say. 

“ And so is our job done,” saying this Thad gave 
the crank a quick turn, upon which there was a 
quick response; for the merry popping of the en¬ 
gine greeted the anxious ears of the young cruisers. 

“ Hurrah! ” shouted Bumpus, who was feeling 
fine, now that he had given Giraffe a return jab, 
after having it rubbed in so hard by the tall scout. 

The Chippeway Belle was already moving rapidly 
through the water, rising and falling on the waves 
that came out of the southwest; and as the six lads 
gathered around to do justice to the spread that was 
to serve as their first meal afloat, they once more 
saw things in a cheery light, for all seemed going 
well with them. 


54 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


CHAPTER VI. 

THE RIVAL FISHERMEN. 

As the afternoon crept on, and the boat con¬ 
tinued to keep up a merry pace, the boys began to 
feel their confidence return. As Thad assured them 
he did not expect to have any further trouble with 
the engine, they no longer kept an anxious eye on 
the working part of the craft, while at the least un¬ 
usual sound every fellow’s heart seemed ready to 
jump into his throat with wild alarm. 

It was not the purpose of the cruisers to try and 
cross the vast body of water upon which their little 
craft was launched, and which is so immense that 
for two whole days they might be out of sight of 
land. Thad knew the danger that lay in such a 
thing, and had promised the folks at home in Cran¬ 
ford that he would be very careful. Indeed, only 
for the presence of Dr. Hobbs, some of the parents 
of the scouts might have felt like revoking their 
promise to allow their boys to be of the party. 

Accordingly their course was now laid in such a 
quarter that they could keep the land in sight upon 
their port quarter most of the time. 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


55 


Of course, while the scouts had not been at sea, 
and really knew very little of navigation, they were 
ambitious to learn. And as Bumpus had before¬ 
hand written down all sorts of phrases used long 
ago on board the ships that sailed the seas in such 
white-winged flocks before the advent of steam 
gave them such a backset, he read these all out to 
his mates; and after that, whenever they could 
think of the nautical name for anything they in¬ 
sisted on using it, because, as Giraffe declared, it 
gave such a realistic effect to things. 

“ But let me tell you there’s a rumpus in the navy 
these days,” said Step Hen, as Giraffe asked him to 
“ step aft, and hand me that pair of binoculars, so I 
can take an observation.” 

“ What about ? ” asked Thad. 

“ Why, they want to abolish some of these old 
terms that are just a part of sea-faring life. For 
instance they say that when the man at the wheel is 
told to ‘ port your helm,’ it takes just the fraction of 
a second for it to pass through his mind that that 
means ‘ turn your helm to the left.’ And so they 
say in our navy after this the officer will call out: 
* Turn your helm to the left, Jack! ’ Whew! that 
must rile every old jack tar, though. It’s like tak¬ 
ing the seasoning out of the mince meat.” 

“ Don’t you believe it’ll ever pass,” asserted 
Bumpus, indignantly; “ and just after I’ve made up 
my mind to learn every one of this list, so I can 


56 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


rattle it off like I can already box the compass. No 
siree, every true sailorman will rise up in arms 
against it. You can count on my vote in favor of 
sticking to the old way. Nothing like the old things, 
I say! ” 

“ ’Cepting engines,” interposed Step Hen, mali¬ 
ciously. 

“ Oh! well, I draw the line there, that’s true,” 
Bumpus admitted, with a shrug of his fat shoulders, 
as his eyes unconsciously dropped, so that he looked 
down into the depths of the lake, “ a full mile deep,” 
as he always said to himself. 

“Oh! I saw a fish then!” he suddenly shouted, 
showing new excitement. 

“ Get your hook and line, Bumpus, and mebbe 
we’ll have fried speckled trout or white fish for 
supper! ” remarked Giraffe, with what he meant to 
be satire in his speech. 

“ Huh! I ain’t that green about fishing, and you 
know it,” remarked the other, as he gave the tall 
scout a look of scorn. “ Anyhow, I can beat you a 
mile fishing any day in the week, Giraffe, and I 
don’t care who hears me say it.” 

“ Is that a challenge, Bumpus ? ” demanded Thad, 
seeing a chance for some fun to enliven their cruise. 

“If he chooses to take me up, you can call it 
that,” responded the fat boy, with a belligerent look 
at his rival. 

“ Oh! I’m ready to meet you half way, Bumpus; 




ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


57 


anything to oblige,” Giraffe went on to say, sturdily. 
“ I’d just like a good chance to show you up for a 
fish fakir. We’ve heard a heap about how you 
used to haul ’em in ; now’s your chance to prove 
that you’re the big gun of this trip.” 

“ All right, just as you say, and we’ll leave it to 
Thad to lay down the terms of the contest, the loser 
to treat the crowd to a dinner when we get back 
home,” Bumpus went on to say, with the look of one 
who would die sooner than give up. 

“ No need of that last,” Allan asserted, with a 
shake of his head. “ We expect to have a spread 
anyhow, when we arrive back in Cranford, because 
there’s plenty of money in the treasury of the Silver 
Fox Patrol; but the loser must do the drudgery 
that always goes with a dinner, and be the waiter 
for the other seven fellows. Do you both agree to 
that?” 

“ I do! ” said Bumpus, holding up his right hand, 
just as though he might be before Squire Jasper, 
and about to give his evidence in court. 

“ Ditto here; I agree, Thad,” Giraffe hastened to 
say, not wishing to have it appear that he lagged 
behind his competitor a particle. 

“ Now how about the terms; what sort of fish are 
we to grab ? ” Bumpus wanted to know. 

“ You don’t grab any, Bumpus,” Giraffe warned 
him; “ every one must be fairly caught with hook 


58 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


and line, and no seines or nets or guns used. Ain’t 
that right, Judge? ” 

Thad immediately declared he understood that 
it was to be a genuine sportsmanlike proceeding, 
and that no underhand tactics would be tolerated. 

“ First the number will count,” he went on to ex¬ 
plain; “after that variety will stand for a second 
point. Then the heaviest fish will be a third claim, 
and we might as well make it interesting, so let’s 
call the smallest fish caught a fourth point.” 

“ That’s four in all; can’t you think up another, 
so’s to have it five; and then three points will be a 
majority, and wins out? ” suggested Davy Jones. 

“ A good idea, Davy,” Thad assured him; “ sup¬ 
pose, then, we also say the longest fish when meas¬ 
ured by inches; that would make five points, all 
right.” 

“ Yes,” interrupted Giraffe, “ but ain’t that al¬ 
ready covered when you say the biggest fish ? ” 

“ Not necessarily,” Thad told him, “ though in 
some cases the two would go together, I suppose. 
But sometimes you’ll catch a bass that measures two 
inches longer than the one the other fellow got; but 
when you use the scales his weighs more by six 
ounces. How does that come—well, we’ve got an 
illustration right here in you and Bumpus; you call 
yourself the larger by nearly a foot, but when it 
comes-” 

Giraffe threw up his hands in token of surrender. 





ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


59 


“ That’s right, Thad,” declared Bumpus, “ the 
longest ain’t always high notch. They do say the 
best goods come in the smallest packages. But 
write the conditions down, Thad, while they’re fresh 
in our minds, and read ’em out. When I come in 
under the wire first, as I surely will, it’d grieve me 
to hear any squealing from our tall friend here, and 
have any dispute about not understanding the rules 
of the game.” 

Giraffe sniffed scornfully, but did not say any¬ 
thing. However, for a long time after that both 
boys busied themseLves sorting out the greatest lot 
of fishing tackle their chums had seen for an age; 
showing that they were in deadly earnest about try¬ 
ing to win the wager. 

Bumpus even managed to attach a phantom min¬ 
now to the end of a line, which he slily dropped 
overboard when he thought no one was looking, in 
hopes of being fortunate enough to get first blood 
in the competition. And the others knew that if 
this thing kept up they were bound to have plenty 
of fun in watching the desperate efforts of the rival 
fishermen. 

Thad was looking up at the sky occasionally. 

“ Seem to be some clouds gathering? ” remarked 
Allan, noticing this action on the part of the pilot of 
the expedition. 

“ Yes, but then they may not mean anything; 
though I’ve been told that storms do come up very 


60 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


suddenly around here. May be something about 
this big body of fresh water that brings that about, 
for the sun must draw heaps up from Old Superior 
every hot day.” 

“ I reckon, now, you’re aiming to get to that cove 
you marked on the chart, so’s to have a snug har¬ 
bor for the night,” Allan went on to say. 

“ Just what I am,” the other admitted; “ this 
lake is a bit too big for us to think of anchoring out, 
and taking chances. A storm is bad enough in day¬ 
time when you can see around you; but it must be 
terrible in the pitch darkness.” 

“ Excuse me, if you please,” spoke up Step Hen, 
who had been listening to all the others said. “ I 
hope there are aplenty of them same snug harbors, 
for a boat the size of ours to drop in and stay over¬ 
night.” 

“ That’s just the trouble about cruising on Su¬ 
perior,” said Thad, “ and especially along the Amer¬ 
ican shore, because there are few rivers that empty 
into the lake. Up along the Canadian side it’s 
different, because there are some fine trout streams 
that extend from White Fish Bay along toward old 
Fort William.” 

“ I’d like to see that last place,” spoke up Davy; 
“ because I’ve heard about it ever since I was knee- 
high to a grasshopper. You see, my great grand¬ 
father used to live in Montreal in the days when 
the Northwest Fur Company was in competition 





ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


61 


with the Hudson Bay Company, and my ancestor 
was employed each Spring to set out from Mon¬ 
treal with some big batteaus manned by French 
Canadian voyageurs, who would row and sail all 
the way through most of the Great Lakes to Fort 
William, where the agent had collected heaps of 
valuable pelts from the trappers and the Injuns after 
the season was done. These he’d fetch all the 
way back to Montreal again, the flat bottom boats 
being loaded down with the bales. And let me tell 
you that was taking risks some; but they raised 
men in them days, I reckon, men that never al¬ 
lowed themselves to think of such a thing as dan¬ 
ger, because they were always facing some sort of 
perils.” 

“ I guess you’re about right, Davy,” admitted 
Thad; “ and I often sit and wonder how it’d seem 
if a fellow lived away back in those days before 
the times of automobiles, motorboats, telephones, 
talking machines and electricity.” 

“Huh!” grunted Bumpus, “’cording to my 
mind, what dangers they faced ain’t to be men¬ 
tioned in the same breath as them we have hover¬ 
ing over us all the while. For instance, what if 
Thad here just crooked his hand, wouldn’t we be 
apt to run smack into that other boat that’s goin’ 
to pass us right now?” 

“ And say, fellows,” remarked Giraffe, in a low, 
mysterious tone, that somehow managed to thrill 



62 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


the others, as no doubt he intended it should; “ just 
take a peek at the men in that boat, will you? 
Somehow, I don’t know just why, but they make 
me think of pirates, if ever they have such critters 
up here on Old Superior. And take it from me, 
boys, right now one of the bunch is looking us 
over through a marine glass. Like as not they’re 
making up their minds who and what we can be, 
and if it’s going to pay ’em to board this same 
craft, to clean it out. Don’t anybody make out like 
we’re watching ’em; but try and remember where 
you put our gun, Thad; because who knows but 
what we might need the same right bad before 
long?” 








ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


G3 


CHAPTER VII. 

ON HEAVING WATERS. 

“Gee! Pirates! Whew!” 

That was only Bumpus talking to himself; as he 
lay there on the deck, and stared across the swell¬ 
ing water toward the black powerboat that was 
heading the other way, so as to cross their course. 

There were apparently several men in the strange 
boat ; and as Giraffe had just remarked, they seemed 
to be more or less interested in the Chippeway Belle 
and her young crew; for every one of them was 
looking that way, and one man really had a pair of 
marine glasses up to his eyes. 

Thad dived into the interior of what was called 
the hunting cabin,” and quickly reappeared bear¬ 
ing the glasses they had been wise enough to fetch 
along, as well as a compass whereby to steer. 

“ That’s the ticket, Thad! ” said Step Hen; “ let 
’em see they ain’t the only pebbles on the beach. 
We’ve got a marine glass, too. Now, tell us what 
you think, are they really lake buccaneers; and will 
we have to put up a desperate fight to keep from 
being robbed, and sunk, and p’raps made slaves ? ” 



64 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


Bumpus gasped for breath, at hearing such dole¬ 
ful things; but as Step Hen gave a quick glance 
toward the fat chum, possibly what he said w r as only 
meant to cause the other’s flesh to quiver with dread. 

“ Oh! they don’t seem to be altering their 
course in the least,” spoke up Allan; “ and as for 
them watching us, who wouldn’t stare on seeing a 
crowd of boys afloat up here on Superior waters? ” 
“ I was thinking that our uniforms as scouts 
might make them sit up and take notice,” said 
Giraffe. “ P’raps they think we’re U. S. soldiers, 
because the dough-boys all wear this same khaki 
now instead of the old army blue. And in case 
they’re real bold smugglers or pirates, that would 
give them cause for a scare. Do they look like 
they’re ready to run away, Thad? ” 

“ Well, not any more than would be the case if 
they were honest cruisers,” replied the other, as 
he handed the glasses to Allan, who«in turn would 
pass them around. “ Seems to me one of them 
wears some kind of a blue cap, as though he might 
be an officer of some sort.” 

“ Oh! don’t count on that,” spoke up Bumpus, 
“ anybody can buy one like that. Ain’t I got one 
right here in my duffel bag; but I hadn’t found a 
chance to spring it on the rest of the bunch. They 
may be a tough lot, even if one does wear an of¬ 
ficer’s cap.” 

“ Well, they’re going right along about their own 











ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


65 


business, and don’t seem to be changing their course 
a little bit,” Allan said as he passed the glasses to 
Giraffe. 

“ I’m glad to hear that,” Bumpus admitted, 
breathing freely again. “ Because, as you all know, 
I’m very much opposed to violence at any time; 
though,” he continued, “ I’d fight if I was hard 
pushed, and fight real fierce, too.” 

“ We all know that, Bumpus, so there’s no need 
of you apologizing,” Thad assured him, with a 
smile and a nod, for he was very fond of the stout 
chum. 

“ But when you said smugglers, what did you 
mean, Giraffe?” questioned Step Hen. 

“ Oh! don’t you know that they have heaps of 
trouble with such law-breakers all along the Can¬ 
adian border? ” demanded the tall boy. “ You see, 
there’s a heavy duty on a lot of things that can come 
into Canada free, or with only a small sum to pay; 
and whenever men can make money taking chances, 
they’re just bound to try it. Why, I understand 
that millions of dollars are lost to the Government 
every year just in the goods smuggled across the 
border all the way from Maine to the Pacific 
ocean.” 

“ Whew! and yonder craft might be one of the 
tricky boats engaged in that business; is that what 
you mean, Giraffe?” asked Bumpus, again staring 
hard after the strange black powerboat which was 


66 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


larger than the Chippeway Belle, and apparently 
much better able to meet the heavy seas that must 
sweep across the lake when the wind reached a 
certain strength. 

“ Oh! I don’t say that, remember,” quickly 
replied the other; “ because it’s only a guess on my 
part, and I haven’t anything to show for proof. I 
was just giving you the benefit of a bright thought 
that came into my brain, that’s all. There may 
be something in it, and again, p’raps them fellows 
are just a pleasure party; or some sportsmen head¬ 
ing for a favorite fishing place.” 

“ Then if we followed ’em we’d stand a show to 
find where the fish lie,” suggested Bumpus; show¬ 
ing that at least he had not forgotten about his 
recent wager, even in the midst of all this excite¬ 
ment. 

“ Better mind your own business, I think,” re¬ 
marked Allan. 

“ Yes,” added Giraffe, “ if so be they turned out 
to be a bad lot, they’d think we kept poking our 
noses in just to arrest them; and in that case 
chances are we’d get our fingers burned.” 

“ But what do you think they might be, Thad? ” 
persisted Step Hen, noticing that the pilot of the 
expedition had as yet not given any opinion on the 
matter. 

“ Oh! any one of the explanations you fellows 
have put up might cover the bill,” Thad went on 


i 







ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


67 


to say. “ The idea came into my mind that per¬ 
haps now those men might be game-fish wardens.” 

“ W-what! ” gasped Bumpus; “ d’ye mean to 
tell me they have such things on a big lake like 
this ? Why, I thought they were only needed 
ashore, where ponds and rivers require looking 
after.” 

“ That’s where you make a big mistake,” Thad in¬ 
formed him. “ Right up among the Great Lakes 
there are millions of dollars taken out in fish every 
year; and if the Government didn’t watch sharp 
plenty of unscrupulous fishermen would use all 
kinds of illegal devices for getting big hauls. 
They are limited to certain kinds of nets or seines; 
and so the precious sturgeon, and the delicious white 
fish that are in these lakes will be kept from being 
exterminated.” 

“ Thank you for telling us that, Thad; it’s all news 
to me,” said Step Hen. “ But what about the 
trout; I’ve heard there are awful big speckled trout 
in Superior?” 

“ So there are, as high as eight pounds; and the 
Government hatchery at the Soo has hundreds that 
large in their ponds, for breeding purposes. I’ve 
read,” Thad continued, for the topic was a favorite 
one with him, and he was a very accommodating 
boy at that; “that in Michigan, for instance, the 
law doesn’t allow trout to be offered for sale or 
shipped; so while they catch some whoppers in the 


68 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


nets they use for white fish, they have to put most 
of them back.” 

“ And then you think that p’raps those men are 
wardens, looking for poachers that are breaking the 
law some way or other?” Giraffe asked. 

“ I only said that might be who they are,” Thad 
insisted. “ You notice they have a high-powered 
boat that could make circles ail around ours, if 
they wanted to let her engine out. And it’s painted 
black, perhaps so they can sneak up on a dark night 
without being seen. But as they’re two miles away 
from us by now, suppose we cut out talking any 
more about them.” 

From the way Thad turned his eyes upward, 
and looked at the gathering clouds it was evident 
that he felt he had better pay attention to other mat¬ 
ters which threatened to cause them more or less 
annoyance before long. 

The wind was certainly freshening very fast. 
And of necessity the waves began to take on a size 
that made poor Bumpus stare, and look serious, as 
he contemplated the possibility of a wreck. 

“ Sure you are heading right to make that cove? ” 
Giraffe asked the skipper who had the wheel in his 
charge. 

The engine was plodding away steadily, though 
some of the boys were worried at the quick whirr 
that followed the passing of each big wave, when 
perhaps the propeller would be partly exposed, and 



ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


69 


the resistance so much less that it spun around much 
faster than usual. 

“ Yes, no doubt about it at all, and if everything 
goes along right we stand to make our harbor 
before dark comes along,’’ the other answered. 

“Oh! I wish we were there already,” groaned 
Bumpus; and when Thad looked at the fat scout he 
noticed how white he was. 

But then that was nothing singular, for it was 
certainly getting pretty rough out there on that great 
expanse of water, and some of the scouts were sure 
to display signs of seasickness sooner or later, he 
knew. Perhaps poor Bumpus was fated to be the 
first victim. 

“ Well,” remarked Giraffe, trying hard to ap¬ 
pear indifferent, though he could not wholly hide 
his concern every time a wave larger than ordinary 
would slap against the side of the boat, and sweep 
along toward the stern, causing a quiver to run all 
through the little craft that seemed just like a chip 
on that inland sea; “ I reckon now, it would be 
pretty tough if we missed connections somehow, 
and had to keep marking time all night long out on 
this old bath-tub.” 

“ Oh! murder! I hope we don’t! ” muttered 
Bumpus, shivering. 

“ Stop that kind of talk, Giraffe,” ordered Thad, 
who would rather look on the bright side of things; 
“ don’t you see you’re only bothering Bumpus ? 



70 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


There’s no need of feeling that we’re going to have 
trouble; because the engine is working as fine as 
silk right now, and I feel sure I can see where that 
same jolly little cove lies, away ahead there.” 

“ You mean where that small point juts out, 
don’t you, Thad?” asked Allan, who hovered con¬ 
stantly near his best chum, ready to take a hand 
at a second’s notice, should there ever arise an oc¬ 
casion calling for assistance. 

“ Yes, that shows on the Government chart I’ve 
marked, and the cove lies ju r t in the shelter of it. 
I think a little river makes into the lake there, and 
if so we might pick up some fish before starting 
out again.” 

He spoke this loud enough for Bumpus to hear; 
but apparently that sad individual had lost all in¬ 
terest in the wager he had so recently made with 
Giraffe, for he did not take any notice of what 
Thad said, only continued to look far away, and 
press his hand up and down in the pit of his stom¬ 
ach; and when a boy begins to realize that he has 
such an organ at all, he must be in a pretty bad way. 

Still the wind kept on increasing until it was 
blowing a small gale. Even the confident Thad 
felt a little nervous as he wondered what would 
happen should their engine suddenly give a groan 
and cease to labor. The situation must be any¬ 
thing but pleasant, left at the mercy of the com¬ 
ing storm, out there a couple of miles from the 



ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


71 


southern shore, and further than that away from 
the lovely little cove where they had hoped to pass 
the night in peace and safety. 

The next half hour was apt to settle that matter, 
one way or the other; and of course Thad found 
no reason to despair, as yet, for the motor kept 
buzzing away cheerily, and the boat pushed through 
the rising and falling billows quite sturdily, as the 
pilot kept her pointed toward that headland far be¬ 
yond. 


72 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


CHAPTER VIII 

NO END OF TROUBLES. 

“ What’s that queer sound?” asked Step Hen, 
looking up suddenly. 

“ Oh, never mind, it’s only me,” came from the 
side of the boat, where Bumpus was lying flat on 
his stomach, and leaning over. 

The boys looked at each other; perhaps Thad and 
Allan smiled somewhat, but for a wonder none of 
the others had any kind of joke to spring just 
then; for truth to tell Giraffe, Davy and even Step 
Hen himself were feeling as though if this sort of 
swaying motion had to keep up much longer they 
could not resist the temptation to copy after the 
boy who was so terribly seasick. 

“ Thought I felt a drop of rain just then,” re¬ 
marked Giraffe, more to have something to talk 
about, and so forget his other troubles, than that 
he really believed it. 

“ No, it must only have been the spray,” said 
Thad. “ You notice that sometimes after a big 
wave slaps up against our larboard quarter, the 



ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


73 


wind carries drops of water flying past. It’s a lively- 
little blow all right, though I suppose the people 
up here, who are used to much worse things, 
wouldn’t think this anything.” 

“ P’raps they might if they were out out so far 
from land, in such a little punkinseed of a boat,” 
complained Step Hen. 

“ And with an old rattletrap of a motor that’s 
threatening to wheeze its last any minute, at that,” 
added Giraffe, fiercely. 

“ Let up on that kind of talk, Giraffe,” said 
Davy; “ we’ve sure all got troubles of our own as it 
is, without that silly calling of names. For my 
part I think the engine is doing its prettiest, and 
I take off my hat to it. Don’t you go to call¬ 
ing it hard names, or it might get even by kicking 
over the traces, and quitting on us. Then we would 
be in a fine pickle. But I think it’s better to keep 
lying down all you can, when it blows like this. 
Make room there, Bumpus, can’t you ? ” 

Then there were two of them; and talk about 
your rivalry, it did seem as though both of those 
fellows would tear themselves to pieces, as the 
boat continued to swing up and down with that 
perpetual sickening, nauseating movement. 

Presently Step Hen found a place too, and tried 
to outdo his comrades; seeing which Giraffe ap¬ 
parently thought he might as well make it unani¬ 
mous; so then there were four, leaving only the 



74 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


skipper and his first assistant on deck to manage 
the boat. 

“ Anyhow, the cargo will be lighter after all 
this/’ Giraffe spoke up, after a while, showing that 
even seasickness could not quite extinguish his love 
of joking. 

By now they had covered considerable distance, 
so that the little headland loomed not a great away 
beyond. 

Thad, too, had changed their course somewhat, 
so that they were now much closer shore than be¬ 
fore; and unless some accident happened he be¬ 
lieved that before another twenty minutes passed 
they would be able to get the shelter of that pro¬ 
jecting tongue of land, after which their present 
troubles would fade away. 

It was time, too, for already the first dim signs 
of coming darkness could be seen around them; no 
doubt the fact that clouds covered the face of the 
sky had more or less to do with this early closing in 
of the night, as is always the case. 

Bumpus was sitting up, though looking very 
white indeed. Every now and then he would shake 
his round head in a doleful way, and heave a tre¬ 
mendous sigh, as though he might be wondering if 
his whole past would be appearing before him, since, 
as he complainingly told the sympathizing Thad, 

everything seemed to be coming up nowadays.” 

“ Only a little while ago I was worrying my poor 



ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


75 


old head off for fear the boat would sink with me,” 
he went on to say, with a dismal smile; “ and now 
it’s just the other way, and I’m feelin’ bad because 
she won't sink.” 

“ Oh! don’t let yourself down like that, Bumpus,” 
said Allan; “ we’re going in behind that headland 
right away, and you’ll be surprised to see how quick 
you get over feeling bad. There, the water isn't 
near so rough as it was, right now; and soon it’ll 
seem like a mill pond.” 

“ Do you think so; wish I could believe it ? ” 
called out Step Hen, without turning his head, for 
he was very busy; “ but seems to me the old boat 
is jumping as bad as any cayuse I ever saw, when 
we were out in the Wild West. Oh! ” 

All the same Allan was right, for they were pass¬ 
ing in behind the projecting tongue of land, and 
already the worst was over, for the seas were not 
near so heavy, though of course the change was 
hardly noticeable to those who were feeling so 
badly. 

And so it came about that presently Thad had 
to lessen their speed, for he did not want to run 
aground, or have any other accident occur that 
would cripple the boat, and shorten their cruise. 

“ We’re all right, now, fellows,” sang out 
Giraffe, being the first to recover, simply because 
he had more grit and determination than any of 






76 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


the other three who had been knocked out by the 
motion of the craft in the big seas. 

“ Yes, and our next job is to prowl around here 
some, before dark gets us, so as to find the best 
anchorage,” Thad remarked, as the boat crept slowly 
along back of the point. 

“ Why, I should think any place here would an¬ 
swer,” said Giraffe; “ because that wind from the 
southwest ain’t going to get a whack at us any 
longer.” 

“ But who’ll guarantee that the wind doesn't 
shift into the north during the night, and have a 
full sweep at us here?” asked Thad. “ No, we 
ought to find out if there really is a little stream 
flowing into the lake here; and if so the mouth of 
that same will afford us the safest place to anchor, 
or tie up.” 

” I agree with you there, Thad,” said Bumpus, 
weakly; but then the fact that he took any sort of 
interest in what was going on announced plainly 
enough that he must be recovering. 

And the others had by this time reached their 
limit, for they contributed no more to the fishes 
of Superior, but began to sit up, and take notice 
of things. The recovery from seasickness is usu¬ 
ally as rapid as the coming of the trouble; given 
a firm foundation to stand upon, and the sufferer 
soon forgets his agony, so that he can even remem¬ 
ber that food tastes good. 





ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


77 


Pushing their way carefully in the scouts pres¬ 
ently discovered that there was a stream of some 
kind emptying into the lake at this place; and that 
around several bends there was a splendid anchor¬ 
age for a small boat such as their’s, though a larger 
craft might find some difficulty about getting in, on 
account of shallow water. 

And when they dropped their anchor over at 
last, all of them were pleased to feel that they had 
left that riotous sea behind them. 

“ This is something like,” declared Giraffe, now 
fully recovered, and of course sharp-set to get 
supper started; indeed all of them felt as though 
they could do ample justice to a good meal. 

So the gasolene stove was put into service again, 
and every one helped get the things ready that their 
menu for that night called for. Giraffe started a 
pot of rice cooking, for he was very fond of that 
dish, and could “ make a meal off it,” he often de¬ 
clared; though his chums noticed that even when 
he had plehty of the same beside him, he dipped into 
every other dish just as usual. 

Besides this one of the boys opened a large tin 
of corned beef that was emptied into a kettle, to¬ 
gether with a can of corn, and another of lima 
beans, the whole making what is known as a 
“ canoeist’s stew,” and is not only tasty to the 
hungry voyager, but exceedingly filling as well. 

These, with crackers, cheese, some cakes done 


78 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


up in air-proof packages, and tea constituted the 
supper that was finally placed before them. 

It really seemed to some of those hungry boys 
as though that was the finest feast they had ever 
sat down to. Of course that often came to their 
minds, because what they were just then eating 
tasted so very good. But with such enormous ap¬ 
petites as a sauce, there could never be any chance * 
for a complaint coming. And the chief cook re¬ 
ceived so many compliments that it was no wonder 
his cheeks and ears burned like the fire he had been 
standing over so long. 

By the time the meal was through it was very 
dark all around them. They could still hear the 
wind blowing out beyond the point; and the wash 
of the big waves told that the sea was probably 
higher than before; so that every fellow expressed 
himself as glad that they had managed to get into 
such a splendid harbor, where they need not bother 
their minds what sort of weather held outside. 

The night was warm, and it seemed comfort¬ 
able enough for them to lie around on the deck, 
exchanging comments. Later on they would ar- 
range just how they were to pile into that small 
cabin, and manage to sleep; for six boys can take 
up considerable room; and there would have been 
even seven to fill the space had not the scout-master, 

Dr. Hobbs, been recalled home at the last moment. 

Of course Bumpus had entirely recovered from 





ON STURGEON ISLAND. 79, 

his indisposition. He only hoped he would now 
be proof against a second attack. 

In fact, he had even begun to remember the 
terms of the wager, and was trying to get a line out 
on the sly, baited with a piece of meat he had fast¬ 
ened to the hook, in hopes of some gullible fish 
taking hold, so that he could wildly haul his captive 
in, and have the laugh on his competitor. 

When morning came he was determined to go 
ashore, and see if he could not find some angle 
worms; for without bait it was folly to think of 
catching fish on hooks; and all sorts of other con¬ 
traptions were barred from the contest. 

Giraffe, however, was not asleep, and he saw 
what his rival was up to; but athough Bumpus was 
not aware of the fact, the tall scout had had his 
line over the side for half an hour now, also baited, 
and with the hope of a bite. 

From now on the race promised to become pretty 
warm between them, once they got fully started in 
the game. 

They had talked over about every subject that 
could be imagined, including the matter of the 
mysterious powerboat that had passed them that 
afternoon, apparently heading in another direction; 
though Thad knew that long afterwards those in 
the black craft had altered their course, and were 
really following them. 

It was getting along near time when they ought 


80 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


to be thinking about retiring so as to get some 
rest, when another subject came up suddenly. 

Giraffe, who had been stretching that long neck 
of his for some little time, observed that he was 
trying to make out what a certain queer light might 
stand for. 

“ It’s away up the shore yonder, fellows, and 
seems to be a lantern, as near as I can make out,” 
he went on to say; “every now and then it bobs 
up and down; and if you asked me I’d say it was 
meant for some sort of signal! ” 

“ A signal! ” echoed Bumpus, in almost an awed 
tone; “that sounds like there might be smugglers, 
or something, like that around here; and perhaps 
they take us for revenue officers trying to nip them 
at their work. Whew! spells more trouble for us, 
I’m afraid. First the storm; then that awful spell 
of gone feeling; and now it’s smugglers. Whew! 
I say!” 








ON STUKGEON ISLAND. 


81 


CHAPTER IX. 

“ BE PREPARED!” 

Bumpus was not the only fellow who felt his 
heart beating much faster than its wont just then, 
though none of the others betrayed the fact; for 
Giraffe and Step Hen were too crafty to show that 
they were worried. 

They seemed to be in a trap, for the heavy seas 
would not allow them to think of leaving their an¬ 
chorage until morning came along, at least; and 
to remain might be exposing themselves to some 
unknown peril. 

But then these lads had gone through so many 
things, especially since they joined the Cranford 
Troop of Boy Scouts, and learned what it meant 
to think for themselves, that none of them really 
displayed the white feather, no matter if Bumpus, 
who loved peace so much that he sometimes fought 
to secure it, did manifest some uneasiness. 

They had along with them a double-barreled shot¬ 
gun that had always given a good account of itself 
in times past; and would again if called to show its 
sterling qualities. And with this in the hands of 




82 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


Thad Brewster, who was a perfectly fearless chap, 
according to his chums, who did not know that his 
boy heart could hammer in his breast like a runaway 
steam engine, why, they surely ought to be able to 
stave off any ordinary attack. 

Giraffe felt better when he had picked up the 
camp hatchet, and waved it several times in the air, 
making vicious stabs at an imaginary enemy. 

“ Get ready for boarders, fellows! ” remarked 
Step Hen, who had reached in and secured the long 
bread-knife, which would make a most formidable 
weapon, if only he had the nerve to wield the 
same. 

“Not on your life!” snapped Giraffe; “we’ve 
got enough mouths to feed as it is, without taking 
on any more. Boarders nothing. You’ve got an¬ 
other think coming, Step Hen, don’t you see?” 

“ But after all, fellows,” Thad told his followers, 
“ this may be a false alarm. That light has gone 
now. It may only have been some farmer or 
miner letting his wife know he was on the way 
home. How do we know any different? And 
what interest would any rascals have in trying to 
come aboard this boat ? ” 

“ That sounds all very fine, Thad,” remarked 
Davy; “but I hope we ain’t thinkin’ of all going 
to sleep at once to-night! ” 

“We ought to have a sentry on duty all the 
time,” suggested Giraffe. 






ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


83 


“ I appoint you for that onerous duty, then, 
Giraffe; consider that settled,” the scout-master 
said, like a flash; whereupon the tall chap began to 
hedge, and explain more fully his views. 

“ Oh! course I didn’t mean that one scout should 
sit up all night,” he went on to remark; “ but by 
taking turns we’d feel that the boat wasn’t agoing 
to be carried off while we slept. Sure I’m willing 
to stand my turn, which might be any two hours 
you set; and then I’ll wake up the next man. You 
know we’ve done that same many a time when we 
were up in Maine, down along the Blue Ridge, and 
out among the Rockies hunting big game.” 

“ Of course I understood what you meant, Gi¬ 
raffe,” the scout-master went on to remark; “and 
as you say, some of us will soell you, a new man 
going on duty every two hour;. But I hope now, 
nobody really believes that wx’re going to be at¬ 
tacked by lake pirates, or smugglers, or anything 
like that. Those who lie down to sleep, just forget 
everything. We’re safe here in a splendid harbor, 
and nothing will happen to bother us.” 

“ But if it should, Thad, you’ll wake us all up, 
I hope,” urged Bumpus. 

“I promise you that, Bumpus,” returned Thad; 
“ because I know just how you feel about it. No 
fellow likes to be kicked while he’s asleep; with his 
eyes open he’s in a way to take care of himself. 
Oh! yes, we’ll see that every one is waked up if 


I 



84 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


there's going to be a row; because we’ll have need 
of your fighting face then, Bumpus, remember.” 

It was hard to get the fat boy fully aroused, such 
was his customary good nature; but when he did 
get beyond the limit, he used to assume what he 
considered a terrible look, that was supposed to 
strike fear to the heart of his adversary. 

Somehow no one admitted to feeling at all sleepy 
now. Even Bumpus, who as a rule could be de¬ 
pended on to fall asleep right after he had had his 
supper, was apparently as wide-awake as a hawk; 
and joined in all the conversation as they sat around 
on the deck and waited for, they hardly knew what, 
to happen. 

“ Anyhow, we didn’t tie up to the shore, as Bum¬ 
pus wanted when he said he'd feel so much better 
if he could walk on firm ground again,” remarked 
Step Hen. 

“ And I’m glad now that twenty feet or more 
of water lies between us and shore,” the party 
mentioned hastened to add. 

“ How deep do you think it is in here, Thad ? ” 
questioned Davy. 

“ All of twenty feet in the place our anchor went 
down,” replied the skipper, promptly; “ it’s a regu¬ 
lar hole, such as the trout like to lie in during the 
hot dog days of late summer.” 

“ Glad to hear you say that,” observed Bumpus; 
but he did not explain whether his pleasure lay in 




ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


85 


the fact that any would-be boarders might find it dif¬ 
ficult to cross over from the rocks to the boat; or 
that there were likely to be fish in the pool, afford¬ 
ing a chance for a nibble at the tempting bait he 
had dropped overboard, attached to the concealed 
hook at the end of his line. 

“If anybody came along here just on purpose to 
take a good look at us, whereabouts d'ye think 
they’d be likely to show up, first of all, Thad?” 
Step Hen wanted to know. 

“ I was thinking about that a minute ago, Step . 
Hen,’’ replied the scout-master; “ and sort of made 
up my mind they’d be apt to climb that pile of rocks 
yonder. You see, it overlooks this pool, and a man 
might lie there near the top and watch us all he 
wanted, provided the moon came out, and gave him 
the light he’d need.” 

Everybody thereupon cast an eye aloft. 

“ I’m afraid that moon business is just what’s go¬ 
ing to happen right soon,” observed Giraffe. 

“ Yes, there isn’t going to be a storm after all,” 
remarked the skipper; “ clouds are breaking right 
now, and it was a false alarm, you see.” 

“ Well, hardly, with me,” ventured Bumpus; 
whereupon everybody tittered, because they knew 
what the fat scout meant; and there were three 
others, who, if they were as candid as Bumpus, 
might have added: 

“Me too!” 





86 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


Half an hour passed by, and they were really 
getting tired, for it was now in the neighborhood 
of half-past ten o’clock, as Thad told them the 
last time he consulted his little dollar watch that 
gave him so much satisfaction in all his outings. 

Still, none of them wanted to be the fellow to first 
crawl under his blanket; it being only a matter of 
pride that kept Bumpus at least on deck, blinking 
like an owl in the daytime, as he tried to keep his 
eyes open. 

Jim, by the way, had been fastened to a cleat, 
and was perched on the edge of the cabin roof, no 
one as yet daring to touch him; though he had eaten 
some meat they placed within his reach, which 
proved that the owl did not mean to starve him¬ 
self to death, yet awhile at least. 

All at once Bumpus felt a galvanic shock. 

“ Oh! ” he shouted in excitement, “ it’s come at 
last! ” 

The others started up in great alarm. 

“What ails the fellow?” cried Step Hen. 

“ Got a fit, I reckon! ” echoed Giraffe. 

“Fit nothing!” mocked the fat scout, who was 
bending over, and seemed to be clawing wildly at 
the air, so that it was no wonder in the darkness 
they thought he must be having a return engage¬ 
ment with that sea sickness; “ I’ve got a fish, and 
that’s more’n you can claim, Giraffe, with all your 
smartness! ” 



ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


87 


“ Bah! never count your chickens till they’re 
hatched! ” scoffed the other, as he saw the fat scout 
suddenly pause, as though there had come a sick¬ 
ening slackening of the line. “ Imagination is a 
great thing, mebbe; but next time be sure of your 
game before you whoop it up so.” 

“ But he’s there yet, I tell you! ” ejaculated Bum- 
pus, again becoming active. “ Hi! somebody lend 
me a hand here, so I won’t lose him. We need 
this trout in our business, because we got to have 
breakfast in the morning.” 

“ Hold on! ” said Giraffe, with emphasis; “ don’t 
forget that the terms of our wager state distinctly 
that no one must offer the slightest assistance in 
landing a fish. If you’re after that fish solely for 
breakfast, why, any of us’ll be glad to lend you a 
hand; but then it don’t count. How about that, 
Thad?” 

“You’re correct, Giraffe,” replied the other; 
“ but I hope Bumpus lands his prize, all right, be¬ 
cause fresh fish would taste fine to-morrow morn- 
ing.” 

It was a little struggle in the mind of Giraffe as 
to whether the sportsman spirit, or the love of good 
feeding would prevail; but at last he also cried out: 

“ I hope he gets it, too, sure I do! ” 

“ Good for you, Giraffe! ” exclaimed Thad, per¬ 
haps purposely mistaking this for a spirit of fair- 



88 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


ness that would do the tall scout credit as a true 
sportsman. 

Meanwhile all of them watched Bumpus tugging 
at his line. The fish was full of fight, and evidently 
objected to furnishing a breakfast for a party of Boy 
Scouts off on a vacation cruise; but by sheer 
strength, and not a little good luck in the bargain, 
rather than fisherman’s skill, Bumpus finally man¬ 
aged to haul his struggling prize aboard. 

“ It’s a trout, as sure as pop!” exclaimed Step 
Hen, as they all bent over the wriggling and flap¬ 
ping captive, and Giraffe struck a match, the better 
to see its nature. 

“ Whee! let me tell you he pulled to beat the band, 
too!” the proud angler vowed, as he rubbed his 
arms; and then bent lower to admire the spotted 
sides of the big trout, that probably looked pret¬ 
tier to Bumpus than anything he had ever before 
seen. 

“ He’s a jim dandy, and that’s a fact, Bumpus! ” 
said Giraffe, swallowing his bitter chagrin because 
fortune had cheated him out of being the first in 
the contest to bring in such a prize; at the same^ 
time he was no doubt thinking what a tasty morsel 
that splendid fish would afford the lot for breakfast, 
and wandering if there were not several of them 
who had confessed that they did not care for fish, 
which would allow a larger portion to those wh© 
did. 




ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


89 


However, all thoughts of this nature were doomed 
to be forgotten, because just then Davy had to go 
and throw a bombshell into the camp by remarking 
in a low and trembling voice: 

“ Thad, oh! Thad! I saw a fellow poke his 
head up above that pile of rocks just then, give you 
my word of honor I did! ” 

“ Be prepared! ” said the skipper, quickly; and 
every scout reached out for the weapon he had de¬ 
cided to rely upon in case of dire necessity. 




90 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


CHAPTER X. 

THE QUEER WAYS OF BUMPUS. 

“ There ain’t a thing moving up there, Davy; 
and I reckon, now, you’re only just afooling us,” 
complained Step Hen, after they had stared as hard 
as anything at the crown of the rocks, which was 
sharply outlined against the dark heavens. 

As the others had met with like poor success in 
trying to locate the object the scout in question 
claimed to have seen, they naturally turned on 
Davy, to demand further explanations. 

It could easily be seen, however, from his ex¬ 
cited condition, that the boy actually believed what 
he said. 

When Giraffe and Bumpus, and even Allan, urged 
him to repeat his assertion, he not only did so, but 
added still more to what he had said before. 

“ Guess I ought to know what a man’s head looks 
like, hadn’t I ? ” Davy went on to remark, in¬ 
dignantly; “ ’cause I’ve seen a few in my day. It 
was there as plain as—as, well, the nose on my face, 
and you’ll say that’s right smart in evidence, I 
know you will, Giraffe. Looky up yonder—see 





ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


91 


the little peak that seems to stick up above all the 
rest of the old rock pile? Well, it was alongside 
that it showed up; and right while I was asaying 
it, the thing disappeared like smoke. But you be¬ 
lieve me, I saw something , and it was a man’s 
head too, no matter if there was a bear or a pan¬ 
ther at the other end of the same.” 

Strange to say no one chuckled at these queer 
remarks of Davy. They saw that he was in deadly 
earnest; and the possibility of a strange man spying 
on them seemed too serious a matter to arouse a 
laugh. 

“ Well,” said Step Hen, presently, when they 
had strained their eyes to the utmost without any 
result whatever, “ seems like he saw you at the same 
time, and lit out in a big hurry.” 

Giraffe began to recover from the first shock 
caused by the alarm; and when he was feeling him¬ 
self the tall scout could nearly always think of 
something quaint to say. 

“ That reminds me of the old baby book rhyme 
we all used to say; p’raps you’ll remember, fellows. 
It’s been a long time since I repeated it, but I think 
it runs about like this: ‘ I saw Esau kissing Kate; 
and the fact is, we all three saw. I saw Esau, he 
saw me; and Kate saw I saw Esau.’ How’s that? ” 

No one answered, and for a pretty good reason; 
for hardly had Giraffe uttered his question when, 
without the slightest warning, a dazzling ray of 



92 


SHE BOY SCOUTS 

white light suddenly fell upon the group of scouts 
crouching there on the after-deck of the little hunt¬ 
ing cabin cruiser, causing every one to gasp, and 
fall to quivering almost as much as though a flash 
of lightning had darted toward them. 

“ Oh! ”■ cried some one; and while the tones of 
the voice could hardly be distinguished on account 
of the vibration caused by the speaker’s alarm, no 
one had the least doubt but that it was Bumpus 
who thus betrayed his agitated feelings. 

Thad and Allan, and perhaps several of the other 
scouts, knew instantly that the strong glow T was 
caused by one of those handy little electric torches, 
for they happened to have just such an alliance 
along with them, and had made great use of it on 
numberless occasions. 

This told them that after all Davy had spoken 
truly when he declared so vehemently that he had 
seen a man’s head up there on the rocks. 

Nobody moved, only crouched there, staring at 
that dazzling light, and mentally figuring what was 
going to happen next. 

Doubtless all sorts of alarming theories flitted 
through their minds, for after their recent talk 
about smugglers and those sorts of law-breakers 
the boys were in a good state to imagine things. 

They were given very little time, however, to 
collect their wits; for a gruff voice (strange how 
voices are always gruff under similar conditions, 




ON STURGEON ISLAND. 93 

but this one was very hoarse without any question) 
called out: 

“ Ahoy there, aboard the launch! ” 

Had it depended on Bumpus, and perhaps Step 
Hen also, the reply must have been a long time 
coming, for they hardly dared trust their voices; 
but then Thad was able to hold his own, and he 
immediately called back: 

“Hello! yourself; what d'ye want?” 

“ Bring that boat ashore, and be quick about it! ” 
the deep grumble proceeded to tell them; and some¬ 
how poor Bumpus was forcibly reminded of the 
growl of a lion he had once heard in a menagerie, 
as well as several other things along the same 
[ “ away down in the cellar ” line. 

“ I suppose we might as well do it, fellows ? ” 
Thad remarked to his chums, in somewhat of a 
low tone; as though he meant to be influenced more 
or less by what decision the other scouts reached. 

“ Oh! can’t we skip out before they get their 
hands on us, Thad ? ” Bumpus wanted to know. 
“ We’re full twenty feet and more away from the 
shore, and it’d take a champion sprinter and jumper 
to cover that distance.” 

“ Yes, but how about running out into that storm 
again, eh, Bumpus? Feel like going through an¬ 
other experience like that?” demanded Giraffe. 
“ Not any for me, thank you. Thad, I say, do 
what he tells us. He can’t eat us, I reckon; and we 




94 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


ain’t got any reason to be afraid because of any¬ 
thing we’ve done.” 

“ Same here, Thad,” remarked Davy, quickly: 
he had been feeling very much like backing up 
Bumpus in his request, but what Giraffe said 
caused him to “ take water ” instantly, and Davy 
was as quick to make a revolution in his mind as 
his body could revolve in several handsprings over 
the ground, when he was feeling good. 

“ Allan, how about you ? ” asked Thad, feeling 
that much depended on what the one addressed 
thought. 

“No help for it, Thad; we’ve got to throw up 
our hands that far, anyway; because, like as not 
they’ve got us covered right now with their guns, 
and while they can see us fairly well, everything’s 
all dark to us up there.” 

“ Oh! my stars! ” Bumpus was heard to whis¬ 
per to himself, in a horrified tone, as he learned 
about those terrible firearms that must be held with 
their muzzles projecting in the direction of the 
floating home of the scouts; but all the same Bum¬ 
pus, “ though good and scared,” as he afterwards 
candidly confessed, did not attempt to lie down, 
and shield his round body behind any of his com¬ 
rades; if they could take the consequences surely 
he ought to be ready to face the music; and so he 
only knelt there and quivered and looked, momen- 





ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


95 


tarily expecting to see a flash, and hear a deafen¬ 
ing report that would stagger them all. 

“Well, are you going to do what I told you?” 
the heavy bass voice demanded, more or less im¬ 
patiently. 

“ Don’t be so foolish as to think you can slip 
away,” a second unseen man told them, “ because 
we’ve got you covered, and if you start up that en¬ 
gine we’ll give you a volley that’ll make you wish 
you hadn’t. Come ashore with that boat, you hear ? 
We know you, Cranston! The game is up! ” 

Thad breathed easier, somehow. What had been 
said seemed to tell him it might after all only be a 
case of mistaken identity; and that if they obeyed 
the rough summons they would in all probability not 
be apt to suffer on account of yielding. 

“ Get a push pole, somebody, and help me shove 
ashore! ” Thad remarked; and then raising his voice 
so that the unseen enemies might hear, he continued: 
“ you needn’t bother wasting any of your am¬ 
munition on us, mister, because we’re willing to do 
what you ask, and come to land. So hold up, and 
give us a chance, for we’ve got to raise our anchor 
first; and the water’s some deep here to use the 
poles in.” 

He heard a low laugh near by, but there was no 
further comment from those who had the situation 
so well in hand. Every scout understood, how¬ 
ever, that a number of heavily armed men must 




96 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


be scrutinizing their actions from the rocks; for 
that strong white glow was kept closely focused 
on the boat all the time they proceeded to drag in 
the anchor, and start working the push poles, with 
which the little hunting cabin launch was well pro¬ 
vided. 

The water in the harbor they had found was of 
considerable depth, but fortunately the poles were 
long as well as stout, and presently the boat began 
to move slowly in response to the energetic efforts 
which Thad and Giraffe put forth. 

Bumpus had assisted to pull in the anchor, and 
was now squatted like a big frog near the bow. 
He knew full well that his position was very much 
exposed, and that in case the unseen enemy chose 
to actually open fire upon the boat, he would likely 
be the first to suffer; but in spite of this Bumpus 
refused to budge. He had gotten over his first 
qualms of fear, and feeling ashamed of allowing 
himself to give way to such a sensation,—and he 
a scout in the bargain,—the boy was now going 
to the other extreme, and growing actually reck¬ 
less. 

It made him think of the time some of his mates 
had declared they had seen a real boni-dde ghost 
in the town graveyard, and dared Bumpus to lead 
the way in there, late at night, when they were pass¬ 
ing. He had felt his teeth rattle together, just as 
they had been doing now; but summoning all his 





ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


97 


courage to the fore he had grimly said: “who’s 
afraid?” and trembling like a leaf shaken in the 
wind, he had stalked into the cemetery, much to 
the admiration of his chums, who had expected the 
fat boy to back down abjectly. 

The boat approached the shore slowly. 

Thad could not exactly see the forms of those 
who were waiting for them to come in, but since 
the focus of light changed from spot to spot he 
concluded that they were also drawing closer to 
the shore line, so as to be ready to receive those 
whom they already counted on as their prisoners. 

And Thad waited, in momentary expectation of 
hearing some sort of explosion, when the parties 
realized their mistake. In fact, he was so sure of 
this that he would not make the slightest effort to 
draw that shotgun closer to him, though that might 
have seemed good policy. 

Finally the nose of the cruiser came smack up 
against the rocks, with quite a little bump; and 
Giraffe, having failed to fend off in time, was al¬ 
most toppled over, but he managed to clutch hold of 
Bumpus to steady himself, and that was like seizing 
upon the Rock of Gibraltar, because it would take 
a derrick to move the stout scout, once he settled 
down. 

So, when for the second time the boat came in 
contact with the shore, Giraffe was able to give a 
little leap, painter in hand, and reach land. 


98 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


Just as he did so, that deep bass voice sprang up 
again; and this time, as Thad had expected, it told 
of considerable chagrin and disappointment. 

“Well, what’s this? Only a bunch of kids, 
after all, instead of Cranston and his gang of smug¬ 
glers. The joke’s on us, men; it is to laugh! ” 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


99 


CHAPTER XI. 

THE FAME OF THE SILVER FOX PATROL. 

“I thought so!” Thad now remarked, show¬ 
ing what confidence he had felt in the decision that 
their best policy had been to obey orders, and come 
to the shore. 

Several moving figures were now seen, and com¬ 
ing down the rocks toward them. In another 
minute’s time these had resolved themselves into 
three men. They did not seem to be roughly 
dressed at all, but might be taken for gentlemen out 
to have a good time fishing or cruising. 

And the boys noticed, as soon as they could see 
anything at all, when Thad lighted their camp 
lantern, that the largest of the trio wore a blue cap 
such as they had seen on the head of the man who 
watched their boat through his field-glasses late that 
afternoon. 

Undoubtedly the black boat had turned back as 
evening set in, and it must have been some one con¬ 
nected with the party, whom they had seen waving 
that light from the shore. 

i “Good evening!” said Allan, pleasantly, as the 


iOO 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


three men ranged up close by, and evidently looked 
them over; “ we’ve surrendered, you remember. 
Now, what are you going to do with six Boy Scouts 
off for a vacation trip on the lake ? ” 

At that the big man turned to his companions, 
and laughed. No doubt they felt considerably dis¬ 
appointed, because they had somehow had high 
hopes of making an important capture; but after the 
first keen chagrin had passed they could enjoy a 
joke at their own expense. 

“ You'll have to excuse our bothering you, boys,” 
said he of the bass voice; “ but you see we made 
a mistake. We’re revenue officers, looking for a 
notorious smuggler named Cranston, who operates 
around this section. We had positive information 
that he meant to cross over from Canada in a boat 
that answered the description of yours to a fraction; 
and as it’s the habit of these smugglers to adopt 
all sorts of disguises, from honest, hard-working 
fishermen, to anything else that suits their fancy, we 
guessed they’d taken to wearing khaki to make us 
believe they were a party of the militia out for a 
cruise.” 

“ And so we turned back, and planned this nice 
little surprise, when we saw that you had come in 
here,” remarked a second man, still chuckling. 

“ Who are you, anyway, boys? ” asked the third, 
who seemed to have more curiosity than his com¬ 
rades, though his next words explained the reason 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


101 


for this; “ because Fve got two sturdy scouts in 
my house, and they’ve become so much brighter 
lads since they joined the patrol that I want to tell 
you I’m interested in the movement wherever I 
run across it And when I tell them about this 
blunder of ours I’d like to mention names, you 
know.” 

“ Why, we belong to the Silver Fox Patrol of 
Cranford Troop of Boys Scouts,” remarked Allan, 
promptly; “ this is our assistant scout-master, Thad 
Brewster, who happens to be the pilot of the 
trip because Dr. Philander Hobbs, our real leader, 
had to hurry back home on business; but we didn’t 
worry a bit when that happened, because, you see, 
Thad is capable of turning the trick; he knows 
more in a minute about everything in the woods 
than Dr. Hobbs could learn in ten years.” 

“Well, well, tell me about that, will you?” ex¬ 
claimed the man, with some little excitement; “ and 
which of you might be Allan Hollister—I reckon 
you’re that party right now, youngster; and this 
stout scout here, surely he must be the Bumpus who 
got into so many bad holes, and yet always man¬ 
aged to crawl out again? Yes, I’m right about 
that; and let’s see, which one might be Giraffe— 
oh, no need to ask that, when I look around me. 
Then there was another they called Step Hen, didn’t 
they; not to mention Davy Jones, Bob White and 
Smithy? Oh! I know you all, and I want to 


102 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


shake hands with each and every one of you. Say, 
won’t my kids go crazy when they hear that Fve 
actually met up with that lively bunch of scouts.” 

“ W-w-what’s all this mean, mister ?” asked 
Bumpus, actually trembling, not with fear any 
longer, but actual delight to hear himself mentioned 
in this familiar way by a stranger. 

“ Well, I’ll have to confess that I’ve taken such 
a deep interest in what my boys are doing,” con¬ 
tinued the revenue officer, “ that I even read every 
book they brought into the house; and that’s how 
I came to know about the doings of the Silver 
Fox Patrol, and who the eight lads were constitut¬ 
ing that branch of the scouts. Give me your hand, 
Mr. Scout-master; I’m proud to know you, sure I 
am; and I hope you’ll send a written word back 
home to the two ten-year old twins, who know all 
about what you fellows have been doing in the Blue 
Ridge, up in Maine, and even as far away as the 
Rocky Mountains.” 

The boys were almost stunned by this remark¬ 
able information; but they hastened to accept the 
hand offered them, and received a hearty squeeze 
in return. 

“ My name is Stebbens, and the boys are Daniel 
and Luther,” continued the officer who seemed not to 
mind the disappointment of failing to effect an im¬ 
portant capture, when the little adventure had given 



ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


103 


him a story to carry back home to those twins he 
thought so much of. 

“ Well all this is mighty interesting, John,” said 
the man with the gruff voice, and who seemed to 
be the leader of the revenue men; “ but we mustn’t 
lose any more time here. The sea is nasty, but 
our boat can stand it, and we know where tricky 
Cranston is apt to turn up before morning, not 
ten miles away; so perhaps we'd better be saying 
good-night to these lads, and starting out again.” 

He, as well as the third man, insisted on also 
shaking hands all around before departing, and with 
such good will that Bumpus was rubbing his fingers 
for quite some time afterwards, to get the numb 
feeling out of the same. 

But then no one found any fault; in fact they 
were thrilled by the knowledge that their exploits 
had been read by other scouts, who cherished a sort 
of friendly feeling for the members of the Silver 
Fox Patrol, just from learning about their ad¬ 
ventures in a book or so. 

They did not feel at all sleepy after the three 
revenue men had said good-bye, and vanished in 
the dark night. 

“ What’s the use pushing out there again, and 
dropping the mud-hook overboard, when we can 
tie up so nicely right here ? ” remarked Step Hen. 

“ Sure,” echoed Giraffe, “ and then, in the morn¬ 
ing I’ll show you I haven’t forgotten how to make 


104 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


the finest fire you ever heard tell about. Oh! I’m 
some punkins about that same game, ain’t I, Bum- 
pus? You ought to know, because you saw me 
make one when we was nigh about froze to death 
up there in Maine, and didn’t have a single match 
along with us.” 

“ Well, anyhow, wait till morning,” said Thad, 
knowing that once the tall scout got started on his 
favorite hobby, there was no way of stopping him 
until he had the fever satisfied. 

Giraffe had once made up his mind that he could 
make a fire in the primitive fashion, by using a 
little bow, and a revolving stick. Once this trick 
is learned and it can usually be accomplished in a 
minute or two; but most boys find themselves un¬ 
able to master the feat, and give up in despair after 
long trying. 

The tall.scout had persisted even when he met 
with all manner of discouragements. Sometimes, 
just when he seemed on the point of success, Bum- 
pus would stumble over him, and end the attempt; 
then, an alarm would be sounded when he had got¬ 
ten his tinder to smoking; and again he lost out. 
But in the end he had mastered the secret, and ever 
afterwards it was one of his proudest accomplish¬ 
ments ; so that Giraffe always carried that little bow, 
and some dry tinder along, whenever he left camp, 
even though it would have been much easier to put 
some matches in his pocket. 








ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


105 


Of course, as they sat there for a while longer, 
after the boat had been securely tied up to the 
shore, the talk was mostly about smugglers. 

Each of the boys told all they had ever heard 
about such slippery customers; and it added to the 
interest of the occasion to know that they had just 
been mistaken for a notorious character, for whom 
the Government revenue men were on the watch. 

“ All the same,” remarked Bumpus, complacently, 
“ I ain’t sorry it happened, because you see, only 
for their mistake we never’d aheard about them 
twins, Daniel and Luther Stebbens. I’m glad you 
wrote out that message for 'em, Thad; and after 
we get back in Cranford I’m meaning to send ’em 
my picture. Their daddy said they’d like it the 
worst kind; and come to think of it, I’ve got a few 
showing me astanding with my gun acovering them 
two bad men as had captured me out in the Big 
Timber, Davy having snapped the picture off on 
the spot. Mebbe they’ll like that! ” 

He fell to musing over the lively scenes that had 
accompanied the adventure covered by this episode; 
and paid no further attention to the rest of the 
boys as they continued to exhaust the subject of 
the smuggler fraternity. 

Finally, all of them admitted that they felt sleepy; 
and since they no longer had reason to experience 
anything bordering on alarm, it was decided on the 
whole not to bother keeping watch. 


106 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


Already the hour must be near midnight, and 
they needed sleep, so as to be ready to take up the 
duties of another day when morning broke. 

Accordingly, each of them was apportioned a 
place where he could wedge in and in some way 
manage to obtain the rest of which he was in such 
need. Bumpus, being so round, and requiring 
much more space than any one of the six, was 
given a chance to roll over in the wider territory 
close to the doors of the hunting cabin, which were 
not to be closed, as the boys felt they would need 
air. 

He could sit up, and look around, at any time he 
happened to be awake; but as Bumpus was usually a 
sound sleeper, none of them expected that he would 
avail himself of this privilege until they scrambled 
over his bundled-up figure at daylight. 

In that cove at the mouth of the little creek it 
was as quiet and peaceful as any heart could wish. 
Let the wind and the waves hold high carnival out¬ 
side, nothing gave promise of disturbing the slum¬ 
ber of the tired cruisers. 

An hour, two of them and more, crept by, and 
everything remained as calm as when the scouts 
folded their blankets about them like Indian war¬ 
riors, and squeezed in where they had been ap¬ 
portioned. 

The clouds had broken, and the moon was shin¬ 
ing brightly in the sky overhead when Bumpus, 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


107 


being awakened by some sort of dream, suddenly 
sat upright, digging his knuckles into his eyes, as if 
hardly able to believe that he was not safe and sound 
in his own bed at home. 

A nasty snarl struck his ear, and gave him a 
shock, so that he instantly found himself wide¬ 
awake, and looking around to see what had caused 
the sound. 

What he saw must have aroused the fat scout not 
a little, for immediately his voice was heard in 
the land, arousing the balance of the sleepers, and 
doubtless thrilling them through and through. 

“Stop thief! Here, let that alone, I tell you! 
Wake up everybody, and do something, can’t you? 
He’s getting away with my lovely trout, I tell you. 
Hey! Giraffe, ain’t you agoing to save your break¬ 
fast ?” 


108 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


CHAPTER XII. 

A CALL TO BREAKFAST. 

Every one came tumbling out in a great hurry. 

The moon was so situated that the forepart of 
the boat was somewhat in the shadow; and on this 
account they could not see plainly, save that there 
was some sort of an animal crouching there. As 
Bumpus had so loudly wailed that it was trying to 
carry off his prize trout, which had been left hang¬ 
ing in the air until needed at breakfast time, the 
rest of the boys understood the situation pretty 
well. Immediately they started to shout, and wave 
their arms, as well as hurl every sort of thing they 
could lay hands on. 

Naturally enough this proved too much for even 
the bravest wild beast; and giving a savage snarl 
the thing suddenly bounded ashore, and was lost 
to view. They had just a last glimpse of a shad¬ 
owy figure skulking off along the sandy beach near 
by. 

“ Oh! tell me, did he get away with it?” cried 
Bumpus; and to hear the pain which he threw 



ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


109 


into these words one would have though a price¬ 
less treasure was involved; and so it was, the big¬ 
gest speckled trout he had ever caught in all his 
life. 

Giraffe scrambled forward, waving his arms in 
order to discourage any beast that might think to 
attack him, and “ shooing ” at a vigorous rate. 

“ Brace up, Bumpus! ” he called out. 

“ Is it safe? ” demanded the fat scout, joyously. 

“ Yes, he didn’t dare carry it off when we got 
to shouting so lively; and here’s your trout, but 
I reckon we had better take care to make it secure 
next time. These cats can climb, some, and that’s 
right.” 

“ Was it really a wildcat? ” asked Step Hen, cur¬ 
iously; just as though the beast had seemed so large 
to his excited fancy that he would have felt safe 
in calling it a panther, 

“ Looked mighty much that way,” admitted Al¬ 
lan, who ought to know the breed, as consider¬ 
able of his younger life had been spent up in the 
Adirondacks, and in Maine, where he must have 
seen many a specimen of the feline tribe. 

“ I thought at first it was a tiger,” Bumpus ad¬ 
mitted, faintly; at which there was a little laugh 
all around, for they could easily understand how a 
fellow’s fears might magnify things, when suddenly 
aroused, and with only that deceptive moonlight to 
see by. 


110 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


“ Whatever it was, and we’ll try and make sure 
in the morning,” remarked Thad, “ it’s gone now.” 

“ But it may come back, after smelling of my 
fine trout,” Bumpus observed, seriously; “ and 
rather than run any chance, I think I’ll have to sit 
up, and play sentry the balance of the night.” 

“ Joke! ” chuckled Giraffe, chuckling again. 

“ Huh! mebbe, now, you think I couldn’t do that 
same?” remonstrated Bumpus. “ I know I’m a 
good sound sleeper, which fact I can’t deny; but 
then there’s such a thing as rising to an occasion, 
you see.” 

“ Yes,” scoffed the tall scout, “ if we depended on 
you staying awake, chances are we’d have no trout 
for breakfast to-morrow morning.” 

“ No need of anything like that,” remarked the 
scout-master; “ because we can fix it so that no 
wildcat could get that fish, let him try as hard as 
he wants. Just you leave it with me, Bumpus, and 
I’ll guarantee that we have fish for breakfast, and 
without anybody having to stay up either, or lose 
another minute’s sleep.” 

He tied a cord to the dangling trout, once more 
placed where it had been before, and then an¬ 
nounced that he meant to fasten the other end to 
his arm. If anything pulled at the fish it would 
telegraph the fact down to him; and as Thad took 
the double-barreled shotgun to bed with him, and oc¬ 
cupied the place Bumpus had vacated, they under- 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


Ill 


stood what the answer was going to be should he 
be aroused. 

But evidently the beast thought discretion the bet¬ 
ter part of valor, for he did not come aboard again 
that night. Possibly the shouts, and the whooping* 
of the boys had given him all the excitement he 
could stand. He liked fish very much; as do all of 
the cat species, but if he must have a feast of trout 
it looked as though he would have to procure the 
same in some other way than stealing it from those 
on board the Chippeway Belle. 

Strange to say Bumpus was the first to crawl 
out; and his labored progress over his comrades 
evoked a continual series of grunts and complaints. 

“ Hurrah! it’s still there, and we ain’t going to 
be cheated out of our treat after all! ” he was heard 
to cry, as he gained the open air. 

“ Well, here’s the first case on record of that fel¬ 
low ever getting awake ahead of the rest of the 
bunch,” said Step Hen. 

“ Yes, and he mighty near flattened me into a 
pancake when he crawled on top of me to get to 
the doors,” grunted Giraffe. 

“ Say, where’s my other shoe ? Anybody seen 
my leather around? I bet you now some fellow 
just grabbed it up, and tossed the same to that 
pesky old cat last night; and if so, how’m I ever 
to limp around with only one shoe for my both feet; 


112 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


because some of the things went into the water, for 
I heard the splash ? ” 

“ If anybody threw it, you did yourself, Step 
Hen,” asserted Giraffe, not liking this thing of 
being accused of things promiscuously; “because 
I saw something that looked mighty much like a 
shoe, in your hand when you crawled out.” 

“ Then why didn’t you tell me about it, Giraffe ? ” 
complained the other, with a doleful groan. “ I 
think you’re about as mean as you can be, to let 
a poor fellow in his excitement do such a thing.” 

“ Why, however was I to know ? ” said the tall 
scout, chuckling as though it struck him as a joke 
that Step Hen, in his sudden anxiety to scare the 
prowler away, should have thrown his own shoe 
at the cat. “ Besides, I had troubles of my own 
just about that time, let me tell you. But mebbe 
you can find your old shoe again; because the water 
ain’t so very deep up ahead there.” 

“ No need to bother,” sang out Bumpus, who was 
taking his trout down tenderly, and examining it 
to see how much damage the claws of the intruder 
had done, if any; “ because there the shoe is right 
now, on shore, and all right.” 

That gave Step Hen reason to say he “ knew 
he could never have been silly enough to cast his 
shoe in such a way as to hurl it overboard; ” but 
all the same he was pleased to be able t© recover it 
in a dry condition, after all. 





ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


113 


“ Who’ll clean it while I get a fire started 
ashore ? ” asked Giraffe, presently, when they had 
finished their dressing. 

“No hurry,” remarked Thad; “for while the 
sun’s getting ready to come up, and the storm pet¬ 
ered out after all, I guess the lake’s a bit too rough 
for us to go out for some time yet. Such a big 
body of water can kick up some sea when it gets in 
the humor; and some of the party don’t seem to 
hanker after that rising and falling motion.” 

Bumpus himself decided to do the last honors to 
his “ noble capture,” and taking the fish ashore, 
with a hunting knife that had a keen edge, he looked 
for a good place to sit down, on'a rock bordering 
the little beach. Here he kept industriously at 
work for quite some time. 

Meanwhile the fire was a big success, for Giraffe 
certainly was a marvel when it came to knowing all 
there was about making them. He had found just 
the finest hole to serve as the bed of his cooking 
fire, where a body of red embers would after a 
little while invite them to place their frying-pan 
and coffee-pot on the iron grating they carried for 
the purpose, and which was really the gridiron¬ 
like contrivance belonging t> a cast-off stove’s 
oven. 

“ I say, Thad! ” Bumpus was heard calling, after 
he had had plenty of time to finish his job with 
the trout. 


114 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


“ What do you want now, Bumpus ? ” replied 
the scout-master, cheerily. 

“ Come down here, won’t you, and settle some¬ 
thing for me.” 

So Thad hastened to accommodate him; and sev¬ 
eral of the other fellows followed at his heels, be¬ 
ing consumed by curiosity, perhaps; or it might 
be they suspected something of the truth, and 
wished to hear Thad’s decision in the matter. 

“Now what?” asked the scout-master, as he 
reached the spot. 

“ I wish you’d tell me what sort of a critter that 
was last night,” Bumpus remarked, as he pointed 
down near his feet; “because he ran along here 
when he skedaddled off; and you can see the prints 
as plain as anything.” 

“ I should say it was a wildcat; but let’s ask 
Allan, to make sure,” replied the patrol leader; 
and upon reaching the spot, Allan instantly declared 
the same thing. 

At that Bumpus appeared to be satisfied; and 
as the trout was now ready for the pan they ad¬ 
journed to where the fire was waiting, with a 
hungry looking cook in readiness to get things go¬ 
ing. 

Just as they anticipate;!, that trout was elegant—■ 
no other word Bum, ,6 could conjure up would be¬ 
gin to do justice to the feast they had that morning. 
And the proud captor of the prize cast many a look 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


115 


in the direction of his rival, which of course the en¬ 
vious Giraffe construed to< mean; “ see what I can 
do when I set my mind on a job; and get busy 
yourself.” 

But then Giraffe had just had a pretty generous 
second portion of the salmon-colored fish steak, 
and was in no humor to get huffy. 

He did start in right after breakfast to get sev¬ 
eral lines out, and attended to the same assiduously 
all morning. Between the busy workers they man¬ 
aged to pull in five fish, of which Bumpus took 
two. So that thus far the score was even, as re¬ 
gards numbers, though the fat scout was still “ high 
notch ” when the question of size was concerned. 

“ I see that before we get back home we’ll all 
have swelled heads,” Thad remarked, with a broad 
smile; and upon the others demanding to know 
what he meant, he went on to say: “ why, don’t you 
know, scientists unite in declaring that fish is the 
greatest brain food going; so if these fellows keep 
on loading us down with trout and white fish and 
every other kind that lives in this big lake, why, our 
hats will soon be too small for our enlarged cran- 
iums.” 

“ Oh! we can afford to take the chances of that,” 
laughed Allan. 

As the wind had gone down, and the waves with 
it to a considerable extent, it was decided that they 
might make a start after an early lunch. Thad 


116 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


consulted his Government Survey charts, and 
marked a place that he believed would make them 
a good harbor, and which they ought to reach with 
any reasonable luck. 

This being settled they got underway about half¬ 
past eleven; and when the little cruiser left the 
shelter of the cove, and once more breasted the ris¬ 
ing and falling waves, Bumpus shook his head dis¬ 
mally, and loudly hoped he would not once more 
have to spend all his time feeding the fishes. But 
his fears proved groundless, for they had appar¬ 
ently become used to the motion of the waves, and 
not one of them became seasick again that day. 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


117 


CHAPTER XIII. 

UP AGAINST IT AGAIN. 

“ Everything is lovely, and the goose hangs 
high! This makes the fifth day since we started 
out; and things seem to be going along right 
smoothly at the old stand, don't they, fellows ? ” 

Giraffe asked this question. He was lying on his 
back on top of the hunting-cabin of the little 
cruiser, taking what he termed a “ sun bath; ” but 
which some of his chums always called “ being too 
lazy too move.” 

“ And so far none of us have felt the least bit 
seasick again,” remarked Step Hen, with what 
sounded like a fervent note of thanksgiving in his 
voice, as though of all the mean things he could 
imagine, that of feeling a sinking sensation at the 
pit of the stomach excelled. 

“ And Pm still leading Giraffe by three fish,” 
declared Bumpus; “ besides having caught the big¬ 
gest fish and the longest one in the bargain. Bet¬ 
ter wake up, and get a move on you, Giraffe, or be 
counting on doing all the drudgery when we have 
that blow-out supper on our return home.” 

“ I ain’t worrying any, Bumpus,” lazily returned 


118 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


the other; “ fact is, it tickles me just to see you 
hustle around in your great fishing stunt. Sure 
you’re getting peaked, and as thin as anything, after 
such unusual exertions. I wouldn’t be surprised if 
some show offered you a job as the Living Skele¬ 
ton, if this thing keeps up much longer, because 
you’re fading away right along.” 

Bumpus looked himself all over, and if there was 
a shade of anxiety on his rosy face it did not stay 
there long. 

“ I only wished what you said was half-way true, 
Giraffe,” he sighed; “ but seems like nothing is 
ever agoing to take off two pounds from my weight. 
I can’t honestly see where there’s a mite of a change; 
and I know you can’t neither. Stop your kidding, 
and get your lines out again. I had a sure-enough 
nibble right then, and if you don’t look out, I’ll be 
pulling in a dandy fish.” 

“ Wake me up when you do, and I’ll start in. 
You get ’em worked-up like, and then I’ll show you 
how to do the trick. Up to now I’ve just been 
playing possum, you know; but look out whenever 
I do get going.” 

“Bah! who’s afraid?” scoffed the fat scout, 
finding a use for his favorite expression, to show 
his contempt for the threat of Giraffe. 

“ But we’ve gone over a heap of ground during 
the five days we’ve been afloat on this inland sea, 
haven’t we, boys?” remarked Step Hen. 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


119 


“ I’d like to know why you call it ground, when 
we’ve been moving over water all the time?” 
observed Davy, who was not as happy as most of 
his chums, because this way of living offered him 
no chance to climb trees, and hang from limbs, as 
was his favorite habit; and therefore time hung 
heavy on his hands, so that he grew restless. 

“ Oh! well, it doesn’t make any difference that I 
can see,” replied Step Hen; “a rose by any other 
name would smell as sweet, they say. But we have 
covered a heap of distance, you’ll admit, Davy.” 

“ Yes, and had lots of fun in the bargain,” Al¬ 
lan put in. 

“ Thanks to the weather man for keeping things 
nice for us, and not allowing any storm to come 
along,” suggested Bumpus. 

“ Well, you may have reason to change your tune, 
soon, old fellow,” warned Giraffe, with an ominous 
shake of his head. 

“ Now, what makes you go and say that, 
Giraffe? Do you know anything, or are you just 
trying to bother me on general principles ? ” de¬ 
manded the stout boy, aggressively. 

“ Well, perhaps you didn’t know it,” remarked 
the other, carelessly, “ but latterly I’ve taken a 
notion to study to become a weather prophet. On 
the sly I’ve been getting all the information about 
goose bones, and all sorts of signs, wherever I could 
strike the same. Then I’ve studied up how the fel- 


120 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


lows down at Washington make their guesses, and 
I’m getting there right smart. Why, every morning 
now, for the last three days I’ve told myself it was 
agoing to be fair, and she was, sure pop. Under¬ 
stand that, Bumpus? ” 

“ I thought something was bothering you, and 
keeping you from getting as many fish as I did; but 
what about-this morning, Giraffe, did it look any 
different to you; and is the good weather acoming 
to an end ? ” asked Bumpus. 

“ The signs all pointed to a change this morn¬ 
ing, 7 ’ replied the other. “ Now, don’t expect me to 
go into particulars, because there ain’t any need 
of more’n one weather sharp in our crowd. And 
say, just cast your eye over there to the southwest; 
don’t you see that low bank of clouds along the 
horizon? Well, when they get to moving up on 
us, we’re bound to have high winds, and p’raps a 
regular howler of a storm.” 

Bumpus’ face assumed a serious look as he 
turned quickly to the scout-master. 

“What do you say, Thad?” he queried, for it 
was never possible to know whether Giraffe were 
working off one of his little practical jokes or not, 
he had such a way of looking very solemn, even 
while chuckling inwardly. 

“ I don’t count much on his knowledge of telling 
in the morning what sort of a day it’s going to be,” 
replied the other, with a shake of the head; “ but 


€>N STURGEON ISLAND. 


121 


what he says about those clouds is as near facts as 
Giraffe ever gets.” 

“ Then there is a storm bound to swoop down 
on us ? ” demanded Bumpus, as he cast a nervous 
glance around at the watery expanse; for they 
were far out on the lake. 

“ I’m afraid well have a rough night of it,” Thad 
confessed; * but if we’re only safe in a harbor by 
evening, we -won’t need to bother our heads any 
about that.” 

“ Then we won’t have any trouble about making 
that same harbor, will we ? ” continued Bumpus, 
who could be very positive and persistent whenever 
he wanted to know anything, so that it was a dif¬ 
ficult thing to shunt him aside. 

“If the engine holds out we ought to be there 
by five, I expect,” Thad answered. 

Bumpus transferred his attention to the working 
motor ; and his look of anxiety increased. 

“ Seems to me you’ve been pottering more’n a 
little with that thing to-day, Thad,” he went on to 
say. 

“ Yes, and right now it don’t work decent,” ob¬ 
served Step Hen. “ It misses an explosion every 
third one, and acts like it might go out of business 
any minute on us, that’s right, fellows.” 

Some of the rest began to look sober at this. 
Giraffe, who had thought to have a joke at the ex¬ 
pense of his plump rival, no longer lay there, 


122 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


sprawled upon the roof of the hunting cabin of the 
launch; but sat up to observe the singular actions 
of the engine for himself. Nor did he appear to 
get much consolation from what he discovered. 

“ I declare now if it ain’t a fact, boys,” he said, 
seriously. “ She acts mighty like she wanted to 
throw up the sponge, and let us hustle to get ashore 
the best way we could. Of all the contrary things 
commend me to a balky engine on a cruiser. And 
Dr. Hobbs was thinkin’ his friend was doing us 
the greatest favor going to loan him this old trap, 
that like’s not he keeps heavily insured, in the 
hopes that some fine day she’ll go down, when he 
can buy a newer and better model with the money 
he collects.” 

“ Oh! I wouldn’t say that, if I were you, Giraffe,” 
remarked Thad. “ From the way the gentleman 
wrote to Dr. Hobbs I’m sure he thought he was 
doing us a favor; and you know it’s bad manners 
to look a gift horse in the mouth. If he was charg¬ 
ing us a round sum for the use of the boat we might 
say something; but outside of the gasolene we con¬ 
sume we don’t have to put out a cent.” 

“ But do you really expect the rickety old en¬ 
gine’ll go back on us before we get to that harbor 
you’re heading for?” demanded Bumpus. 

“ How can I tell?” Thad replied. “ I’m doing 
everything I know of, to coax it to be good. If 
anybody has a scheme for helping along, the rest of 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


123 


us would be glad to listen to the same, and take it 
up too, if there was a ghost of a show that we could 
profit by doing that.” 

Apparently nobody did have any idea of better¬ 
ing conditions as they now prevailed; for not a 
word came in reply to Thad’s request for several 
minutes. During this time the boys sat there and 
watched the queer actions of the engine that Thad 
was bending over, now doing this and again that in 
order to see whether he could not obtain more 
profitable results from the laboring motor. 

“ I s’pose now,” Rumpus finally did muster up 
courage enough to say, “ if it came to the worst, and 
you saw we couldn’t make that harbor, why, you 
might head her on to the beach, so that we could 
get ashore, no matter what happened to the old 
ship?” 

“Yes, how about that, Thad?” questioned Step 
Hen, as though somehow a thought along the same 
lines might have been passing through his mind 
just then. 

Thad shook his head in the negative. 

“ That would be a risky proceeding, at any time,” 
he observed, “ when you consider that the shore 
along here is composed of sharp-pointed rocks, and 
that if there was any sea on at all we’d probably be 
wrecked long before we could land. That must 
mean we’d all be thrown into the surf, and perhaps 
lose our lives trying to swim ashore among the 


124 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


rocks. No we’ll have to try some other plan than 
that, or else stick to the boat, and hope the storm 
won’t be so very bad after all.” 

“ Well, one thing sure,” said Davy Jones, who 
had not taken any part in this conversation thus 
far; “ the clouds are coming along right speedy. 
Since I first took note they’ve crept up till they look 
twice as big now.” 

This news was not pleasant for them to hear, 
though every one realized that the speaker was 
not “ drawing the long bow ” when he made the as¬ 
sertion. Yes, they could almost note the rising of 
the dark mass. If it kept on as it was doing, in¬ 
side of half an hour the heavens would be obscured 
above, and perhaps the forerunner of the gale be 
upon them. 

Bumpus quickly started to pulling in the various 
fish lines he had been trailing along after the boat, 
in hopes of meeting up with a hungry hsh that might 
be taken aboard, and not only afford a meal for the 
crowd, but give him a good chance to crow over his 
rival fisherman once more, “ rub it in,” as he called 
it. 

Thad got out his charts, and the whole lot bent 
over, while he pointed out where they were just 
then, and the distant harbor he had hoped to reach. 

“ If it comes to the worst,” ventured Allan, 
“ there’s that lone island ahead of us, Sturgeon it’s 
called on the chart, and we might get in the lee of 
that.” 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


125 


CHAPTER XIV. 

THE SQUALL. 

“Sturgeon Island, did you say, Allan? ” re¬ 
marked Step Hen. “ Sounds like it might be a 
good fishing place. If we happened to land there, 
perhaps Bumpus and Giraffe might manage to do 
some big stunts, pulling in sturgeon. Can any¬ 
body tell me what sort of a fish that is, anyway ? I 
never saw one, or a fellow that caught one, either.” 

“ Oh! they grow to big size, and are caught in 
the Great Lakes in this country. They take stur¬ 
geon eggs I believe to make this high-priced stuff 
they use in the tony clubs and call caviar, or some¬ 
thing like that,” observed Bumpus, who really did 
know considerable about fish and fishing, though 
of course he did not claim to be a fly fisherman, 
capable of casting seventy feet or more. 

But the subject did not interest any of them just 
then. The way that bank of ominous clouds kept 
advancing higher and higher soon kept their at¬ 
tention riveted in that quarter. 

About how far away from our harbor are we, 
Thad?” asked. Step Hen. 


126 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


“ Something like fifteen miles, I should say,*’ 
came the reply. 

Giraffe looked at the balky engine, and shook his 
head. 

“ Then we’d better make up our minds right here 
and now that we’ll never get to that place this day/’ 
he said, positively; and there was no one bold 
enough to accept of the plain challenge his tones 
conveyed. 

“ That means our only hope lies in Sturgeon 
Island, don’t it?” Bumpus asked. 

“ Looks that way,” Thad told him. 

“ But that don’t seem so far on the map; you just 
put your finger on the same, Thad; and if she’s close 
enough to do that, hadn’t we ought to see that island 
ahead somewhere ? ” 

“ Suppose you take the glasses and look,” sug¬ 
gested the pilot, who was busy with the engine, that 
had stopped short again, and needed coaxing to 
take up its burden once more. “ It’s rather hazy, 
you’ll notice, so that you couldn’t be sure of any¬ 
thing more than three miles away, I reckon; but tell 
us what lies dead ahead, will you, Bumpus? ” 

A minute later, and the fat scout cried out in con¬ 
siderable excitement: 

“ I can see land ahead, sure I can, fellows! ” 

“ That must be the island, then,” rejoined Thad, 
still busily engaged. 

“ Our only hope, so we had ought to call it our 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


127 


island,” Davy went on to say, as he deliberately took 
the glasses from Bumpus, and glued the smaller end 
of the same to his own eyes. 

Then in turn everybody but Thad had to have a 
chance to look; and in the end it was the consensus 
of opinion that Bumpus had spoken only the truth 
when he said there were positive evidences of some 
sort of land ahead. 

“Oh! if you could only get that old junk-shop 
engine to working for half an hour, Thad, we’d have 
plenty of time to circle around to the leeward side 
of that island, and then we could get ashore, no mat¬ 
ter what happened to the Belle” Bumpus faltered, 
as he watched the skipper still working as rapidly as 
he could. 

All at once the machinery started up again, when 
Thad gave the crank a whirl. 

“ Bully for you, Thad! ” cried Davy, slapping the 
other heartily on the back; and then turning to look 
at the black clouds following after them, as though 
he would give fair warning that they meant to make 
a stiff fight for the opportunity of finding safety. 

“ Go slow! ” warned the other; don’t be too sure, 
because she’s limping already, and I’d hate to risk 
my reputation in saying that we could depend on 
that thing five minutes at a stretch,” and from the 
way Thad said this it was evident that he had by 
now about lost all faith in the motor. 

“ Looks like it might be a race between the storm, 


128 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


and our getting behind Sturgeon Island,” said Gi¬ 
raffe, as he turned alternately from stem to stern 
of the boat, evidently trying to figure out what sort 
of chance they might have for winning out in the 
end. 

But they knew that it all depended on the engine; 
if it worked as well as it was doing right now they 
could surely pass over the few miles that separated 
them from the island; and once in its lee it would 
not be so difficult to gain the shore. Neither the 
wild wind, nor the gathering waves could disturb 
them, so long as the storm continued to come out of 
the south-west, for they were now cruising along 
the northern shore of the great lake, where the Do¬ 
minion of Canada held sway, and not Uncle Sam. 

So they watched it anxiously, and every time it 
missed an explosion Bumpus would utter a grunt 
or a groan; only to catch new inspiration and hope 
when he found that it was a false alarm, and that 
they were still going right along. 

Thad was doing everything he knew how to en¬ 
courage the engine to keep up the good work; but 
he had already made up his mind to be surprised at 
nothing. There was a possibility that it might 
keep working fairly well as long as they wanted, in 
order to find safety in the shelter of the island; and 
then again it was apt to let down at any minute. 

Thad, however, was not the one to show the 
white feather. He knew that there were several 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


129 


of his chums who might not be constituted just the 
same as he and Allan, and Giraffe—Bumpus and 
Davy and Step Hen; and his seeming cheerfulness 
was partly assumed in order to buoy their drooping 
spirits up; as scout-master Thad felt that he had 
many duties to perform, and one of these was to 
instill a feeling of confidence in the breasts of his 
comrades. 

“ I can see a white streak on the water away back 
there! ” announced Giraffe, presently. 

“ That’s where you’ve got the advantage of the 
rest of us, with your long neck, and that way of 
stretching the same,” complained Step Hen; and 
determined to meet the other on his own grounds 
he clambered to the top of the cabin, where he 
could use the glasses he had taken from the hand of 
Giraffe. 

“ It’s the first blow of the squall, as sure as any¬ 
thing,” he immediately reported; which news made 
Bumpus turn pale; for he had not forgotten what 
he experienced on that other occasion. 

“ Coming racing after us, like hot cakes! ” added 
Giraffe. “ Hadn’t we better get them life pre¬ 
servers out, and fastened on under our arms, Thad ? 
Then, if so be the old tub did take a notion to turn 
turkel we’d have some show for our money.” 

“ Make him stop talking that way, Thad, won’t 
you? ” urged Bumpus; “ he just does it to make me 


130 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


have a bad feeling down here,” and he rubbed his 
projecting stomach mournfully as he spoke. 

“ No, I’m sorry to tell you he isn’t saying any¬ 
thing too strong, Bumpus,” the skipper of the Chip- 
peway Belle assured him; and after that poor 
Bumpus had nothing more to say; only he clutched 
the cork and canvas life preserver which was handed 
out to him, and with trembling hands proceeded to 
adjust the same under his arms; though it was a 
very snug fit, even if Giraffe had given him the 
largest in the lot under the seats. 

“If anything happens, remember,” said Thad, in 
all seriousness, as he watched the rapid way in 
which that ominous white line on the water was 
racing after them; “ all of you try your best to land 
on the island. We’re getting closer all the while to 
the same, and there seems to be some show for us 
to crawl up, because, with the rocks I can see little 
patches of gravelly beach. Keep your eyes fixed on 
that, and do everything you can to get there in case 
of a wreck.” 

“Wreck!” muttered Bumpus, as though talking 
to himself, as he often did when in trouble; “ didn’t 
I dream I was on a ship that went to pieces in a 
storm; and first think I knew I had to swim for it, 
and me knowing so little about doing that. Oh! I 
hope nothing happens, and that we can swing around 
back of that bully old island soon! ” 

“ So say we all of us, Bumpus,” Giraffe echoed; 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


131 


and he did not mean to draw the attention of the 
others to the shaky condition of the fat scout, be¬ 
cause, if the truth were told, every one of the six 
boys would be found to be quivering with the dread¬ 
ful suspense, while waiting for that forerunner of 
the squall to strike them. 

The engine still continued to keep them moving, 
although to the excited imagination of some of the 
boys they seemed to be almost standing still. 

“ What do you think of it now, Thad ? ” asked 
Step Hen, with the manner of one who hoped for 
good tidings, yet feared the worst. 

“ I don’t just like the looks of that first rush of 
wind,” replied the pilot; “of course if we pull 
through that we may be able to hold out, and gradu¬ 
ally force a way around the island. I’m trying to 
head as near as I dare, because if once we’re forced 
past, there’s nothing left for us, you understand?” 

Yes, they could grasp that point well enough, and 
Step Hen even besought the one at the wheel to 
work in a little closer. 

“ Better take the chances of being thrown on the 
island than to be carried past by a fluke of the 
wind! ” he declared; and Thad believed so much the 
same way that he did change their course slightly. 

The boys had brought out what most they wanted 
to save in case of a wreck. One carried his clothes- 
bag, with the blanket fastened to the same; another 
had the double-barreled shotgun; while Giraffe made 


132 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


sure to see that his fishing tackle was safely tucked 
in with his belongings, which he had made up into 
as small a compass as possible. 

As for Bumpus, he had gathered everything he 
owned, and looked as though he might be a walking 
peddler trying to dispose of his wares to the coun¬ 
try people. On the other hand there was Step Hen 
who did not appear to care an atom about his 
clothes and his blanket; but he had managed to 
wrap something around the owl, and was all the 
while gripping the bird tightly; though Bumpus said 
he was silly to risk his own life, when all he had to 
do was to cut the cord he had put around the cloth, 
unfasten the chain that gripped the bird’s leg, and 
give him a toss into the air, when Jim would look 
out for himself. 

“ Wisht I could fly away as easy as he can,” 
Bumpus wound up with; but in spite of all these 
suggestions the obstinate Step Hen still persisted 
in holding on to his prisoner, as though he meant to 
accept every chance rather than let him go. 

“Hold fast, everybody, for here she comes!” 
called Allan, presently. 

The puttering of the escape connection with the 
engine could no longer be heard, because of the 
roar made by the rushing wind, and the splash of 
the curling water, as the squall leaped forward and 
rapidly overtook them. 

“ Oh; my stars! ” Bumpus was heard to call out, 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


133 


as he clung to something with all his might and 
main; for the little cruiser seemed to be lifted high 
in the air, and carried forward on the top of a giant 
billow, only to sink down in the trough of the sea 
w T ith a heavy motion; but still keeping head on. 

But in that moment of time Thad Brewster knew 
that the fate of the boat was effectually sealed; be¬ 
cause the engine had given its last throb, and they 
were now a helpless, drifting object in the midst of 
those angry waters! 


134 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


CHAPTER XV. 

CLEVER WORK. 

Imagine the horror of the six scouts when they 
realized that they were now completely at the mercy 
of the storm, since the last barrier seemed to have 
given way when the treacherous engine broke 
down. 

Even brave-hearted Thad Brewster felt that their 
case was desperate; and he knew in his secret heart 
that if they managed to escape a serious situation it 
must be through a narrow gap. 

At the same time Thad always made it a point to 
put on a good face when up against trouble. This 
was of course partly done because of his comrades, 
since, as the scout-master he felt more responsi¬ 
bility than fell to the share of the rest. 

Bumpus had been hanging on like a good fellow. 
He greatly feared lest some sudden violent lurch of 
the boat toss him headlong into that yeasty sea; 
which he was gazing upon with terror. 

At the same time Bumpus had been closely ob¬ 
serving the actions of the eccentric motor, and was 
one of the first to discover that it had petered out. 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


135 


“ giving up the ghost ” completely, as Giraffe would 
have said. 

“ Oh! what can we do now, Thad?” shouted the 
stout scout, as usual turning to the quick-witted one 
in an emergency; but for once even Thad was at 
his wit’s ends to know what to attempt, the situation 
was that desperate. 

“ Everybody hold on! ” was all Thad called back. 

There was hardly any need of this injunction, for 
each fellow had managed to brace himself, so that 
unless the boat actually “ turned turtle,” or at least 
was thrown on her beam ends, they could not be 
dislodged. 

Thad was straining his eyesight as best he could, 
endeavoring to see ahead. The furious wind of 
course made this a difficult task, because it not only 
sent the waves high, but as these broke into foam 
along their crests, this was actually cut off as with 
an invisible knife, and blown away in the shape of 
flying spud; so that the very air was surcharged 
with a fine mist, rendering it hard to distinguish 
anything fifty feet off. 

Of course it was the island that the young leader 
was striving to see all this while. He knew as well 
as anything that the one slim hope remaining to 
them must rest upon their chance of finding some 
sort of shelter behind this oasis in the watery waste. 

At one time it had been Thad’s hope that if the 
worst came they might find themselves thrown on 


136 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


the windward side of Sturgeon Island. Now he 
knew that this had been rendered an utter impossi¬ 
bility; because the storm had swept down upon them 
so rapidly after their course was changed that there 
had been no time for the cruiser to reach a position 
that would bring about any such result. 

And then besides, the surf must be dashing high 
over that exposed end of the rocky island, so that 
even though they struck, it might be on an outer 
reef. In such a case who could say whether any of 
the boys would manage to overcome the terrible 
difficulties lying in wait, and be thrown up on a 
sandy beach, rather than dashed ruthlessly against 
the cruel rocks ? 

So Thad crouched there near the bow, holding on 
desperately, and hoping for, he hardly knew what, 
save that he seemed to have an inspiration there 
presently would come a slender chance for them to 
survive the blow. 

“ There’s the island! ” yelled Giraffe, pointing to 
the right. 

Thad had seen it before the other thus called at¬ 
tention to the fact of their being so near safety, yet 
unable to quite reach it. 

“ But we’re going along past it!” shrieked 
Bumpus. “ Thad, ain’t there any way we could 
work in? Oh! think quick, please, or it’ll be too 
late!” 

They were moving quite fast, with wind and 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


137 


wave joining forces to sweep the little helpless craft 
along. Just as Bumpus had said, unless something 
could be done immediately it must surely be too late; 
for once they left the island behind, the whole 
immense inland sea would be before them; and their 
hopes of surviving the storm must sink too close 
upon the zero mark. 

Thad was thinking as fast as he could; indeed, 
his very brain seemed to be on fire, such was the 
mental energy he was expending. But really there 
was nothing in the wide world that could be done 
then. 

True, they had push-poles, but doubtless the 
depth of water would have rendered these utterly 
useless, even had they started to handle them. 
Nothing was to be hoped for in the direction of the 
engine, since that had collapsed in the most cow¬ 
ardly fashion at the first swoop of the blow. 

What then? 

Thad had made one little discovery that gave a 
slender promise of succor; and it is strange upon 
what a small foundation hopes can be built at such 
a time as this. He saw that the wind had shifted 
just a little; but this was enough to carry the drift¬ 
ing launch a trifle toward the side of the island. 

Now, it did not stand to reason that they would 
strike, no matter how long that shore turned out 
to be; because there was enough current to sheer 
them off; but when the lower end of the island was 


138 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


reached, Thad really believed there might be a sud¬ 
den inward sweep of the water that had been so 
long held at bay by the rocky shore. 

There always is more or less of this eddy at the 
end of an island in a river; and upon a large lake 
in our country it may be found as a rule toward 
the eastern terminus, since the prevailing storms 
come from the west, southwest and northwest. 

The only question with the anxious lad was 
whether this eddy would have sufficient “ pull ” to 
drag them in behind the island. Upon that one 
small possibility rested all their hopes. 

Thad knew that possibly he and his chums might 
render some assistance at this critical moment, if 
so be they were ready. 

“ Allan—Giraffe, come here! ” he called out. 

The two scouts heard him above all the racket of 
the elements, which, what with the howling of the 
wind, the breaking of the waves against the boat, 
and the roar of the surf on the exposed end of the 
island, amounted to a tremendous volume of sound. 

“ Ay! ay! ” Giraffe was heard to cry in return, as 
he proceeded to make his way forward, clinging to 
every object that offered a stable hold, because the 
wind seemed trying its level best to tear him away. 

Bumpus also heard the call, but as his name had 
not been mentioned he dared not take it upon him¬ 
self to move so much as one of his tightly braced 
feet. He seemed to feel that if he did so it would 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


139 


be at the risk of his life; and the thought of being- 
cast adrift on that raging sea filled him with ac¬ 
tual terror. 

Could those boys have had a vivid picture of that 
scene just then, they would never have been able 
to look at it again without shivering; because their 
faces must certainly have expressed the sensations 
that filled their hearts to overflowing. 

But Davy, as the official photographer of the 
patrol, was too much concerned just then in hold¬ 
ing on, to dream of making any use of his vest 
pocket kodak; nor would it have been possible to 
have obtained any sort of view under such stormy 
conditions as surrounded them. 

“ What is it, Thad? ” 

Giraffe asked this question as he and the other 
scout managed to come close to where the patrol 
leader clung. 

“ We’ve got a little chance when we get to the 
end of the island, don’t you see?” Thad bawled, 
making use of one hand to serve in lieu of a speak¬ 
ing trumpet. “ W’re getting closer all the time, 
and will just skim past the last rock. And then 
is our chance, when we strike the eddy there al¬ 
ways is beyond an island. Do you understand?” 

Both scouts nodded their heads violently, and 
Giraffe called out: 

“ What d’ye want us to do, Thad? ” 

“We must get the setting poles out, and be ready 


140 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


to try and push with all our might and main when 
the time comes. Everything depends on that! ” 
Thad replied, also, at the top of his strong, young 
voice. 

“But it may be too deep!” objected Giraffe; 
though at the same time fumbling with the rope 
that fastened one of the push-poles in question to 
the deck alongside the cabin roof. 

“ We’ve got to take the chances of that,” Thad 
went on; “ and besides, you know it always shal¬ 
lows where the sand is washed around the point of 
an island. Hurry, fellows, because we must be 
nearly there! ” 

He lent a hand himself, for he saw that Giraffe 
was meeting with more or less difficulty in releas¬ 
ing the pole toward which he had turned his at¬ 
tention; though had the conditions been different, 
the boy might not have had the slightest trouble 
about getting it free. The boat was pitching so 
furiously, that he could only use one hand, because 
it was necessary for him to grasp some hold, lest 
he be tossed overboard, as a bucking broncho hurls 
an unsuspecting rider from the saddle by a quick 
upward movement. 

Hardly had they secured possession of the two 
long and stout poles than the end of the island hove 
in sight. They were very close to it now; indeed, it 
almost seemed as though an agile fellow might have 
made a flying leap, and with half-way decent luck 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


141 


manage to alight on the sentinel rock that guarded 
this point. 

But no one tried that desperate game; in fact, it 
was doubtful whether it even occurred to Davy or 
Step Hen before they had been carried past, and 
the widening gulf rendered such a movement im¬ 
possible of accomplishment. 

But the three lads toward the bow of the drift¬ 
ing boat were desperately engaged in trying to 
swerve the cruiser more and more behind the is¬ 
land, ere they got so far that they would lose the 
benefits of the half-way calm condition existing in 
the lee of the shore. 

Fortunately the water did prove to be fairly 
shallow at this point, just as the scout-master had 
predicted; for vast quantities of sand had been de¬ 
posited there from time to time through such storms 
as the present one, and also the melting of the ice 
that drifted there during each breaking-up season 
for ages past. 

The poles easily reached bottom, and secured a 
firm hold there, so that the boys were enabled to 
throw T their full strength upon the other ends. And 
the Chippeway Belle was thus shoved around, so 
that the anchor, wdiich was w r atched by Step Hen 
and Davy Jones, could be easily thrown ahead, thus 
preventing their drifting further away from the 
friendly shore. And this having been accomplished 
the three scouts were almost ready to drop down 
with fatigue, for they had worked strenuously. 


142 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


CHAPTER XVI. 

MAROONED. 

“ Hurrah ! ” shouted Bumpus, who had been so 
worked up during this struggle between his com¬ 
rades and the greed of the elements, that he had 
hardly taken time to breathe. * 

Davy, and Step Hen too, seemed ready to throw 
up their hats, and cheer with exultation because 
of their wonderful deliverance from continued 
perils. 

All of them were pretty well soaked, though it 
had not rained at all; so that their bedraggled con¬ 
dition must have come from the water that was in 
the air, and an occasional wave that slapped over 
the boat when it broke. 

Although they had apparently secured a firm 
grip on an anchorage, and it would seem as though 
their present troubles were over, Thad did not sink 
down like his two fellow laborers, to pant, and rest 
up. 

He proceeded to scramble aft, for he had made 
an alarming discovery, and wished to start an in¬ 
vestigation at once. 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


143 


The boat sat much lower in the water than he 
had ever known it to do; and this circumstance 
seemed alarming. 

One look into the carbin told him the reason, nor 
was Thad very much surprised to find that it was 
already knee deep in water. 

“ How did this come in here, fellows? ” he asl^ed 
Davy and Step Hen, who from their positions might 
be expected to know; “ did you notice many waves 
pour over the stern of the boat ? ” 

“ N-no, hardly any water at all came in, Thad,” 
replied Step Hen, astonished when he came to look 
into the partly submerged cabin for himself. 

“ She kept riding like a duck, and was ahead of 
the waves most all the time,” was the testimony 
Davy added; which might bet set down as the first 
words of praise given to the little craft thus far 
during the cruise. 

“ Why, goodness gracious, Thad, we must be 
sinking! ” bellowed the amazed Bumpus, also cran¬ 
ing his fat neck the best way he could, in order to 
peer into the cabin. 

“ Just what she is doing,” replied the scout¬ 
master, composedly; because they were now in 
comparatively shallow water, out of the reach of 
the storm; and it did not matter so much what 
happened after this. 

“ Sprung a leak, mebbe ? ” suggested Giraffe, 
joining the group. 


144 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


“ Wouldn’t be surprised if that was what hap¬ 
pened,” Allan added, as he too took a survey of 
the flooded interior. 

“ Then, like as not she’ll go down right under us, 
after a bit, Thad! ” exclaimed Bumpus, in new ex¬ 
citement, as he contemplated the distance still sep¬ 
arating them from the point of the island, and men¬ 
tally figured whether he could float to safety with 
that life preserver on, and one of his chums tow¬ 
ing him. 

“ She will, and that’s a dead sure thing,” Giraffe 
told him. 

“ We ought to get her in closer before that hap¬ 
pens, hadn’t we, fellows?” Step Hen wanted to 
know. 

“ We’ve got to try that same, and right away! ” 
declared Thad, as he stooped to once more pick up 
a push-pole. 

“ Here, you Step Hen and Davy, take hold in 
our place, because you're fresh, and ought to do 
better work,” Giraffe remarked, as he thrust his 
pole into the hands of the former. 

Now, under ordinary conditions Step Hen might 
have wanted to know by what authority the lengthy 
scout presumed to order him around, when they 
were of the same rank in the patrol; but he real¬ 
ized the force of what Giraffe had said, and hence 
accepted the pole without a murmur, starting to 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


145 


work immediately; while Davy did the same with 
the one Thad allowed him to take. 

“ When you get the boat part way up toward 
where the anchor holds/’ observed the scout-master, 
“ we’ll drag the mudhook in, and stand ready to 
throw it out again. By pulling on the cable after 
the anchor gets a firm hold on bottom, it’s pos¬ 
sible to claw the boat along foot by foot. I’ve done 
that same many a time; and it’ll help out more than 
a little.” 

They speedily found that Thad spoke truly, and 
under the influence of poles as well as the anchor 
drag the Chippeway Belle began to approach the 
shore, much to the delight of Bumpus. When the 
fat scout, closely observing the setting poles as they 
were dipped repeatedly into the water, discovered 
that they struck bottom in a depth of not more than 
four feet, he was ready to shout with joy. That 
meant it could not be over his head; and if the 
worst came, he might wade to land. 

Despite the fact that their vessel was a wreck, 
and about to sink, the boys had no desire to com¬ 
plain just then. Their escape from threatening 
danger had been too recent for them to feel ungrate¬ 
ful. Later on the grumblers would no doubt start 
to work in their customary way, and find cause 
for venting their disgust because things did not 
come out as they might have wished; but even 
Giraffe was bubbling over with satisfaction when 


146 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


he realized that they had actually managed to cheat 
the storm after all. 

It had been a close shave, however, and only 
for that bright thought on the part of Thad, they 
might at that very moment have been drifting far 
away, with their boat slowly but surely sinking, 
despite all the baling they could accomplish. 

But then, what was the good of scout-masters 
if they were not able to do the thinking for the 
crowd, the reckless Giraffe would possibly have 
said, if the question had been put up to him. 

Everybody was working like the busy bees; even 
Bumpus tried to assist in hauling at the cable, hav¬ 
ing moved forward when the boat no longer pranced 
and bobbed on the agitated sea like a skittish horse. 

Of course, as the water was coming in so fast, 
the cruiser was bound to presently strike bottom; 
but it was the design of Thad to work her in just 
as far as possible, for as they had a block-and- 
tackle aboard he hoped they would be able to make 
some sort of rude “ ways,” where she might be 
hauled out later on, patched up, and their inter¬ 
rupted cruise continued. 

“ Stuck fast, Thad; she’s on bottom, and no use 
straining to try and get her another inch toward 
the shore! ” announced Allan, presently; and all of 
them realized that he spoke the absolute truth when 
he said this. 

“ Well,” remarked Bumpus, complacently, “ here 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


14T 


we are on the wreck of our noble ship, and close 
enough to shore to salvage all our possessions; 
which I consider the greatest of good luck. Who’ll 
carry me over on his shoulders, now ? ” 

Strange to say, nobody offered to undertake this 
task, whereupon Bumpus pretended to feel very 
much hurt, though in reality quite merry. 

“ I was afraid you’d all speak at once, and have 
a quarrel over the honor; but looks now like I 
might have to do the grand wading act myself, 
holding up my clothes-bag and blanket, to keep 
from getting the same more soaked than they are 
now. If we could only make a raft like old Rob- 
inson Crusoe did, it would be fine. Can we get 
this cabin roof off, and would it float, do you 
think, Thad?” 

“ We’ll wade! ” replied the scout-master, grimly, 
and that settled it. 

“ The sooner the better,” remarked Giraffe, “ be¬ 
cause night’s going to drop down on us right early 
to-day, and we ought to have a warm fire started 
somehow, so’s to dry us off,” for Giraffe had the 
utmost faith in a fire being able to do about 
nearly everything necessary to the good cheer of 
mankind, because he fairly worshipped a jolly 
blaze. 

Indeed, as most of them had commenced to 
shiver already, owing to their wet condition, and 
the stress of excitement under which they had been 


148 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


recently laboring, the thought of sitting before a 
comfortable fire did seem to buoy up their spirits 
amazingly. 

“ Get ready to slip over, and go ashore! ” ordered 
Thad, “ I’ll take the anchor cable with me, and see 
that it’s made fast to a rock or a tree. We may 
find a chance to mend the boat, and anyway it’s just 
as well that we try and keep her here; though if 
the wind whips around no cable would hold her, 
I reckon.” 

Giraffe was the first to drop over. The water 
hardly came above his waist; but then his height 
was responsible for this, and cautious Bumpus 
did not deceive himself on that account. Still 
he found that he could easily wade, and in a short 
time all of them had reached the friendly rocks. 

Here Thad made the rope secure. 

“ I’m going back for a few more things, and you 
might come along with me, Allan,” the scout-mas¬ 
ter remarked. 

“ I reckon you think there’s a pretty good pos¬ 
sibility that the wind will veer around, sooner or 
later, and that the old tub won’t be in sight when 
morning comes?” Allan remarked, as he pushed 
out alongside his chum. 

“ Chances tend that way,” was the reply, “ and 
anyhow, it’s better that we get all the supplies we 
have ashore. Then if we have to play crusoe for 
a while we’ll have something to go on with.” 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


149 


“ Our stock happens to be pretty low/’ remarked 
Allan; “ and Giraffe was only this morning com¬ 
plaining that he didn’t get enough to eat, and that 
we d better stop off somewhere to buy more bacon 
and bread and such things. Too bad we didn’t 
think of that when near Duluth, which place you 
wanted to avoid because of certain reasons.” 

They made the trip without accident. Then it 
was considered that about all had been taken from 
the stranded and half sunken cruiser that was worth 
salving. 

Already was Giraffe hunting for some good 
place where they might find shelter, and start a 
fire; for while it had not rained as yet, strange to 
say, a flood was likely to come down at any moment, 
so long as the heavens remained as dark as they 
were still. 

Bumpus was looking all around him. He did 
not wander away from the rest, because it seemed 
as though that mysterious island on which they 
had been cast might be inhabited by wild beasts of 
prey, for all they knew, ready to spring upon a 
mice, juicy morsel like him, and make a meal. 
That was one of the disadvantages in being plump, 
Bumpus always insisted, because envious eyes were 
won’t to fall upon him, first of all. 

About that time Giraffe hove in sight again, and 
from his happy manner it was evident that he had 
important news to communicate. 


150 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


“ Just shoulder your packs, fellows, and come 
with me,” he hastened to tell them. “ I’ve run 
across the boss place for us to keep under shelter; 
and there’s aplenty of nice dry wood handy, so we 
can lay in a supply before it rains. After all it 
strikes me that with our troubles we ought to be 
thankful things ain’t worse’n they are. With a 
fire a fello^ can do nigh anything to make you 
feel good Come on! ” 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


151 


CHAPTER XVII. 

ROBINSON CRUSOE, JR. 

“ There you are,” said Giraffe, presently. 

“ Why, that shelf of rock looks just like it was 
meant to keep the rain off,” declared Step Hen, de¬ 
lighted at the prospect. 

“ Hold on,” Bumpus advised. 

“ What ails you now ? ” Giraffe wanted to know. 

“ Why, you see,” the stout boy went on to say, 
“ she looks kinder dark and gloomy under that 
same rock.” 

“ But it won’t after I get a fire started; you see 
the night’s beginning to settle down already,” 
Giraffe told him. 

“ How d’ye know there ain’t somethin’ ahidin’ 
in there ? ” demanded Bumpus. 

At that the lengthy scout laughed scornfully. 

“ Oh! that’s the way the wind blows, does it ? 
Well, you watch me eat your old wolf up. I’m 
hungry enough right now to eat anything, I 
reckon.” 

Few of them could remember when Giraffe was 
anything but starving, for he always had that ap¬ 
petite of his along, and working overtime. 


152 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


He immediately crawled under the ledge, for the 
shelf of rock was not high enough to admit of his 
standing erect. 

“ Seems to be all right/’ admitted Bumpus. 

“ Of course it is, though I kind o’ think a wolf, 
if he showed good taste, would let me alone, and 
wait for you, Bumpus,” Giraffe called back. 

They hastened to’ deposit their burdens under 
the shelving rock. 

“ Now, Thad, don’t you think it’d be a good 
idea to have everybody hustle, and collect what 
fuel we could ? ” the fire-maker asked. 

“ As it’s apt to rain any time now,” answered 
the scout-master, “ and we’ll be glad to have a fire 
all night, it seems as though we’d show our good 
sense by gathering wood while we have the chance.” 

“ That’s the ticket! You hear Thad speaking, 
fellows, so get busy.” 

Giraffe showed them how by immediately start¬ 
ing in to collect such wood as lay conveniently at 
hand. 

“ Pile it up here, where it’ll keep dry, and we 
can get what we need from time to time,” he told 
them. 

Many hands make light work, and as the entire 
half dozen boys busied themselves like a pack of 
beavers, before long they had accumulated such a 
pile of good dry fuel as pleased Giraffe exceed¬ 
ingly. 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


153 


“ That’s what I call a hunky-dory lot of wood,” 
he finally declared, when Thad had announced that 
they must surely have enough to see them through 
the night, “ but better bring in a little more, boys, 
because you don’t know how fast the fire eats it up.” 

As for himself, Giraffe was now ready to get his 
cheery blaze started. 

He actually wasted a match in doing this, mut¬ 
tering at the time that there was no use bothering 
with his fire-sticks, which would come in handy 
later, perhaps, when the stock of matches ran low. 

Well, every boy admitted that things certainly 
did take on a rosier hue, once that fire began to 
crackle and send up sparks. 

“ That feels good, Giraffe,” said Bumpus, hold- 
I ing his hands out toward the blaze. 

“ Sure it does,” the fire maker went on to say, 
“ and we’ll all feel better still after we get some grub 
inside. Thad, what are we going to have for 
supper? ” 

Nobody started making fun of Giraffe now. 
They were all pretty sharp pushed, and could sympa¬ 
thize with the hungry one. 

“ Oh! look over our stock, and see what we’ve 
got,” replied the scout-master. “ Only go slow, 
and don’t cook too much, because nobody can tell 
how long we might have to stay here on this island, 
and we may have to come down to half rations yet. 

His words struck a chill to some of their hearts. 


154 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


Giraffe, however, refused to allow himself to 
be concerned. 

“ Oh! don’t worry, boys,” he remarked, “ we 
ain’t going to starve, even if we have to be ma¬ 
rooned here two weeks before a vessel can be sig¬ 
nalled. Why, what use are the fishing lines to us 
if we can’t take lots of finny prizes? Then, if 
there’s ducks around, or anything else to shoot, 
ain’t we got a gun? And last of all, I reckon we’d 
find lots of mussels or fresh water clams in the sand 
at the end of the island where we landed.” 

Somehow, his hopeful spirit did a great deal to 
help buoy up the spirits of the other scouts. 

Even Bumpus volunteered to assist in getting 
supper ready; indeed, there was no lack of cooks 
on this occasion, for every one seemed willing to 
lend a hand. 

After all, youth is so hopeful, and filled with 
animal spirits, that it takes more than ordinary 
backsets to dishearten a parcel of healthy boys. 

By the time the supper was done they were talk¬ 
ing like magpies, and it would be difficult to im¬ 
agine that these six happy-go-lucky fellows were 
now actual crusoes of the great lake, their boat 
a wreck, and deliverance a very uncertain prospect 
of the future. 

“ That’s the very last of the bacon, ain’t it, 
Giraffe?” asked Step Hen, during the progress 
of the naeal. 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


155 


“ Sorry to say it is,” came the reply. 

“And don’t it taste finer than ever, though?” 
Bumpus wanted to know. 

“ That’s always the way,” laughed Thad. 

u Yes,” added Allan, “ you never miss the water 
till the well runs dry. But how about our ham, 
is that gone, too! ” 

“ Well, I should say, yes,” declared Giraffe, an 
injured look on his face, as if he felt accusing eyes 
fixed upon him, “ s’pose you think one poor lone 
ham with six hungry fellows to chaw away at it, 
could last forever, but it won’t. If you want to 
know what we’ve got left I’ll tell you—two cans of 
Boston baked beans, one of tomatoes, some pota¬ 
toes, a package of rice, plenty of tea, sugar and 
coffee, three tins of milk, some chocolate, and three 
packages of crackers.” 

“ Is that all? ” gasped Bumpus. 

“ So you see right away to-morrow we’ve got 
to get busy trying to lay in some sort of supplies,” 
Giraffe went on to say. “ How about that, Thad? ” 

“ You never said truer words,” was the scout¬ 
master’s comment. 

“ Yum, yum, I don’t know when I’ve enjoyed 
a supper like I have this one,” Step Hen acknowl¬ 
edged. 

“ I hope it ain’t the last time I’ll hear you say 
that,” remarked Giraffe. 

“ Hope so myself,” returned the other, “ be- 


156 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


cause it’d be too bad if I had to quit eating at my 
tender age.” 

“ Thad, do you think this island could be in¬ 
habited?” 

It was Davy who asked this question, but Bum- 
pus must have been thinking along the same lines, 
for he nodded his head violently and smiled, as 
though he awaited Thad’s answer with interest. 

“ Of course I couldn’t say,” the scout-master 
observed^ “ It’s only a small rocky island, you 
know, and people wouldn’t live here the year 
through.” 

“ But they might come here, ain’t that so? ” Step 
Hen insisted. 

“ Why, yes, to fish, or shoot wild fowl in the 
season,” Thad went on to say. 

“ Well, I sure do hope there may be some white 
fish netters here right now,” Step Hen said. 

“Or if their ain’t, let’s wish they’ll be cornin’ 
along soon,” Bumpus added with a fervency that 
was certainly genuine. 

“ I wonder,” Davy broke in with, “ what we 
could do if our boat was carried away, or we found 
we couldn’t mend the same? ” 

“ Huh! What did old Robinson do but build 
him a boat? Here are six boys, wide-awake as 
they make ’em—and I’d like to know why we 
couldn’t do as much as one man! ” 

Bumpus said this rather boastfully, not that he 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


157 


had so much confidence in his own ability to do 
things as he felt satisfied that Thad and Allan would 
be equal to almost any emergency. 

“ Well, we might, under the same conditions, 
“ the former told him. 

“ Ain’t the conditions the same,” inquired Step 
Hen. “ He was wrecked, and so are we, you 
might call it.” 

“ Yes, but there’s no tree on this rocky island big 
enough to make into a boat,” Thad informed him. 

“ That’s a fact, they do grow dwarf trees here,” 
Step Hen admitted. 

“ And suppose there was, how could we ever 
chop one down with one little camp hatchet, and 
hollow out the log? ” Thad asked. 

“ Might take a year,” acknowledged the other. 

“ We’d freeze to death here in the winter time, 
because it gets awful cold, they say,” Step Hen 
continued. 

“ Why, we could walk over the ice, and get 
ashore,” Davy suggested. 

“ Guess the old lake don’t freeze over solid any 
time; it’s too big, ain’t it, Thad? ” Giraffe went on 
to say. 

“ That’s something I don’t know,” came the 
scout-master’s answer; “ and what’s more to the 
point I don’t care, because we’ll never stay here 
that long.” 

“ Glad to know it,” said Bumpus. “ P’raps now 


158 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


our friends’ll be looking us up, and coeae to the res¬ 
cue.” 

“ You mean Smithy and Bob White, don’t you? 99 
asked Step Hen. 

“ That’s who.” 

And so they continued to discuss matters from 
every view-point possible, as only wide-awake boys 
may. 

Meanwhile the scout-master, thinking that while 
the rain held off he might as well step out and take 
a little look around, proceeded to do so. 

Allan Hollister was sitting there, resting, and 
listening to the arguments of the other boys, when 
he saw the scout-master beckoning just outside the 
full glow of light cast by the fire. 

“ What’s up, Thad? ” he asked, as he joined the 
other. 

“ I think I’ve made the discovery thal we’re not 
alone on the island,” came the answer. 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


159 


CHAPTER XVIII. 

WHAT THAD FOUND OUT. 

“ That sounds good to me, Thad,” remarked 
Allan. 

“Hold on before you say that,” the other went 
on to say, significantly. 

“What about it?” demanded Allan. 

“ Because we don’t know who they may be, if 
there are men out here,” answered the cautious 
scout-master. 

The other gave a low whistle that stood for sur¬ 
prise. 

“ I see now, what you mean,” he observed; “ but 
what makes you think there are others here, when 
they never lifted a hand to help us, and haven’t as 
much as dropped in to sit at our fire ? ” 

“ Well, perhaps they don’t want to see us,” Thad 
told him. 

“ Oh! yes, we were talking about smugglers, and 
then we ran across that Mr. Stebbins who knew 
all about us, and he was one of a party looking up 
the slick men who fetch things over from Canada 


160 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


to escape the heavy duties. But Thad do you really 
believe there could be a bunch of that stripe hiding 
out on Sturgeon Island ? ” 

“ I don’t know anything yet, Allan, except that 
I’ve reason to know we’re not alone out here, that’s 
all.” 

“Well, what did you see, or hear?” asked the 
other. 

“ This is what happened,” Thad went on to say, 
in a low tone, though the storm was still making 
such a racket that he had to put his mouth close to 
Allan’s ear in order to allow him to catch what 
he said. “ While the rest kept up their talking I 
came out here to see how things looked, and make 
up my mind whether we were going to have any wet 
with this gale or not.” 

“ Yes, and it don’t look like it now, Thad, be¬ 
cause it’s gone so far; reckon it must be what they 
call a dry storm; but go on and tell me the rest.” 

“ Well, I was standing about here, in the dense 
shadow, you see, thinking, when all at once I dis¬ 
covered that there was something moving between 
me and the fire! ” 

“ Whew! ” murmed Allan, deeply impressed. 

“ Of course, at first I thought it might be only 
a fox, or something like that, curious enough to 
want to creep up, and learn what sort of intruders 
had landed on Sturgeon Island; I could see that the 
bushes were moving softly, and that soon the thing. 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


161 


whatever it was, would come in sight of where I 
stood here.” 

“ And it did ? ” Allan demanded. 

“That’s right,” replied the other, softly; “and 
it turned out to be a man’s head! ” 

At that the other scout again gave one of his 
low whistles, to show that he was listening, and 
duly impressed by the startling information con¬ 
veyed. 

“Of course,” continued Thad, “ I couldn’t make 
out what he was like, very well, because his face 
was turned away from me; but as near as I can 
say he was a big man, a rough looking chap, and 
ugly in the bargain. More than that, he struck me 
like he might be a half-breed, or else an Italian, for 
his skin was very dark.” 

“ Well, what did he do? ” inquired the other. 

“ Just lay there watching the rest of you for sev¬ 
eral minutes, Allan. I could see him elevate his 
head at times, and then duck like a flash when he 
thought some one might be looking his way; which 
showed pretty plainly that he didn’t want to be 
seen, and that he didn’t mean to step forward and 
join the crowd.” 

“ Then he went away, did he ? ” continued the 
other. 

“ Yes, backed off, and I lost track of him among 
the rocks and the bushes,” Thad went on to say, 
impressively. “ It struck me as a queer proceeding, 


162 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


and I didn’t lose much time in getting you out here, 
so I could talk it over.” 

“ Perhaps there’s only one, all told, and he might 
be some fellow who’s escaped from prison, and is 
in hiding away off here, where he thinks no one will 
ever take the trouble to look for him,” Allan sug¬ 
gested. 

The scout-master shook his head. 

“ I can’t say just what he is, or whether there’s 
a dozen here,” he observed; “ but I do know that 
all his actions were suspicious, for no honest fisher¬ 
man would do what he did.” 

“ We’ll have to be on our guard, then, Thad?” 

“ That goes without saying, until we know more 
about who our neighbors are,” the scout-master 
replied. 

“ It sort of complicates the situation some, too, 
don’t it ? ” Allan asked. 

“ Yes, and perhaps we’d better not say anything 
to the rest until we learn something more about 
this thing,” Thad told him. 

“ How are you going to do that, when this man 
seems disposed to give us the cold shoulder?” in¬ 
quired the other. 

“ I had about made up my mind to go off for a 
little stroll, and see what I could run across near 
by,” the scout-master continued. “ This island 
isn’t so very large but I could find my way around; 
and while that storm is howling I’m not anxious to 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


163 


cross over to the other side. This is the sheltered 
part, and like as not these people, whoever they 
turn out to be, will have taken up their camp some¬ 
where about here. But I wanted to warn you so 
you might make sure none of the other fellows 
wandered off.” 

“ I’ll see to it, though I don’t think they’re apt 
to do anything of that sort, as they’re a tired bunch 
right now,” Allan assured him. 

“ And while you’re about it,” continued the other, 
• impressively, “ you’d better keep your hand on that 
shotgun of ours all the while, until you see me 
beckon to you again.” 

44 That sounds like you expected we’d be up 
against it good and hard before this game came to 
an end,” remarked Allan. 

“ Oh! not necessarily,” replied his chum. “ It’s 
only following out our motto, 4 be prepared! * 
You know there are a whole lot of sayings along 
that line, such as 4 fore-warned is fore-armed,’ and 
as the old pilgrim fathers used to say: 4 trust in the 
Lord; but, keep your powder dry!’ We want to 
keep our ammunition ready. But while you go 
back to the rest of the boys I’ll take a sneak.” 

44 Don’t think you’d better take that gun along 
with you, Thad ? ” 

44 Not at all,” was the quick reply. 44 I’ll depend 
on the darkness, and the noise of the storm, to 
keep from being seen or heard. But I’m bent on 


164 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


trying to find out whether there’s any sort of shack 
or cabin built here on Sturgeon Island. 

“ Well, take good care of yourself,” warned Al¬ 
lan, a little uneasily; for it was almost on his lips 
to ask why he might not be permitted to keep the 
scout-master company, for he did hate so much to 
see Thad pull out alone. 

He insisted on gravely shaking hands before he 
would leave his partner, to return to the camp 
under the rocky shelf. They had been so much to¬ 
gether of recent years that these two boys were ex¬ 
ceedingly fond of each other, more so than brothers 
could ever have been; which was one reason why 
Allan disliked seeing the other moving away into 
the darkness, and taking voluntarily upon himself 
the dangers such a scout involved. 

Obeying orders he himself made his way back 
to where the other sat. Giraffe was holding out, 
and explaining something that he had advanced; 
but evidently he must have noticed the absence of 
the others, for he soon asked: 

“ What’s the good word, Allan; because I reckon 
you and our scout-master have been taking a squint 
at the weather? I was just telling the rest here 
that we won’t get any wet with this blow, because 
all the signs point that way, and as I said before, 
I’m getting to be an authority on weather now¬ 
adays.” 



ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


165 


“ That was about what we thought,” Allan told 
him. 

“ You mean that Thad is with me in my as¬ 
sertion, do you ? ” demanded Giraffe; and when 
the other had nodded in the affirmative the tall scout 
turned to Davy, Bumpus and Step Hen trium¬ 
phantly, to add: “ There, didn’t I tell you I could 
hit these weather changes on the handle every 
time. When I warn you next time there’s going 
to be a storm, better hurry to get in out of the 
wet.” 

“ I think it’s a great pity you waste your precious 
time bothering about what the weather is agoing 
to be, when we can’t help it; and you might be 
racking that really stupendous brain of yours 
adoing other things worth while,” Bumpus went 
on to remark. 

“ Huh! as what? ” Giraffe wanted to know. 

“ Well, famines in the eating line, for one thing,” 
spoke up the fat scout, instantly. “ S’pose, now 
you’d told us we was going to run up against hard 
times in the way of a scarcity of grub two days back, 
couldn’t we just as well have dropped in to some 
town along the shore, and stacked up with heaps 
and heaps of good things? Seems to me, Giraffe, 
you’ve gone and wasted your talent on the wrong 
thing. What good is it ever agoing to do you, to 
pretend to tell what sort of weather we’ll get next 
week, when it’s only a guess after all? Better 


166 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


make a change, and predict famines and such things, 
so we can take the alarm, and buy out some country 
grocery.” 

Giraffe had not one word to say in reply. He 
must have recognized the force of Bumpus’ phil¬ 
osophy, and wished in his heart he had been gifted 
with the spirit of prophecy, so that he might have 
given warning in due time as to the need of replen¬ 
ishing their stock of provisions. 

The conversation ran on, other subjects being 
taken up. Giraffe wanted to know what kept Thad 
away so long, and was told that the scout-master 
had concluded to take a little look around. 

At that the other suggested that perhaps he too 
might stretch his legs; whereupon Allan informed 
him that he was under orders to keep them all close 
to the ledge under which they had found shelter; 
and that Thad had told him no one must be allowed 
to stray away a single yard. 

After that the boys did not talk quite so volubly; 
possibly some suspicion may have entered their 
minds that perhaps things were not quite so peace¬ 
ful as they appeared on the surface; and that Thad 
might know of some reason for expecting a new 
batch of troubles to descend upon them. 

Allan kept sitting there, gun in hand. He was 
waiting to receive some sort of sign from Thad, 
to tell him his presence was desired once again 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


167 


out there beside the tree where they had previously 
conferred. 

It seemed a very long time before he caught a 
movement there, and then saw the hand of the 
scout-master beckoning to him. 

“ Stay here, as Thad wants to talk with me,” 
he told the rest, after which he strode forth to join 
the other. 

“Well, did you find out anything?” he asked, 
the first thing. 

“ Only this,” replied Thad, solemnly, “ the is¬ 
land is occupied by a party of several rough men, 
who have a boat in a sheltered cove over there, 
and a cabin half hidden among the rocks and brush¬ 
wood; but the mystery of it all is, what they may 
be doing here, and why they look on us as ene¬ 
mies ! ” 


168 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


CHAPTER XIX. 

BAD NEIGHBORS. 

“ It seems to be getting worse and worse, the 
further we go, don’t it, Thad? ” Allan asked, after 
he had had time to digest the startling information 
which his chum had imparted, as they stood there 
within the outer edge of the glow cast by Giraffe’s 
camp-fire under the overhanging ledge of rock. 

“ Looks that way,” replied the other, seriously 
enough, for he did not exactly like the situation. 

“ Seems like it wasn’t bad enough for us to be 
wrecked, and marooned on this queer island, but 
we have to fall across the trail of some unknown 
parties who may be up to all sorts of unlawful 
dodges, for all we know. But Thad, tell me more 
of what you saw and heard.” 

“ When I started out from here,” the scout¬ 
master began, “ I knew that I'd probably only have 
to look around at this end of the island, because 
no sensible man was going to take up his quarters 
where these storms always strike in. And then I 
figured it out that the chances were, these parties, 
if there were more than the one fellow I’d seen 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


169 


sneaking around, and spying on us, would want to 
be down close to the water, for a good many rea¬ 
sons. You can understand that, Allan? ” 

“ Yes, and I think that notion would have come 
to me, just as it did you,” replied the other, 
promptly, showing that he was following the nar¬ 
rative closely. 

“ Well, that being the case, resumed the scout¬ 
master, “ I stuck to the lower part of the land, 
climbing over and around such outcropping rocks 
as I came across. The moon wasn’t helping me 
very much, though it’s up there behind the clouds; 
and on that account you see the darkness is never 
so bad as when there’s no moon at all. 

“ It wasn’t so very long before I heard some¬ 
thing knocking softly near by, and listening care¬ 
fully I made up my mind that it must be a boat that 
was kept in a snug cove perhaps, and yet where it 
got more or less wash of the sea beyond. 

“ That was just what it turned out to be, Allan, 
a fair sized motorboat, stoutly built, and yet some¬ 
thing of a hummer when it would come to speed. 
Her outlines told me this as soon as I could make 
her out down in the berth she occupied between the 
rocks, where they had protected the sides of the 
little basin with logs to keep her from chafing too 
much. 

“ Now, speed indicates that the people owning 
that boat expect to show a clean pair of heels, as 


170 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


they say, at times. They want to be in condition 
to skip out in a hurry, and be able to outrun any 
ordinary craft that might try to overhaul them. 
Wouldn’t you think that way, Allan? ” 

“ You’re speaking my mind to a dot, Thad.” 

“ But I wasn’t satisfied wholly, and made an¬ 
other move, to see whether they had any sort of 
a cabin around. Seemed to me that if they were 
using Sturgeon Island for some sort of shady busi¬ 
ness, they ought to have a shelter. Well, I found 
it before ten minutes had passed, and by just creep¬ 
ing along what I made out to be a regular trail 
leading from the boat up the shore a piece.” 

“ Good for you, Thad; no woodsman could have 
done better! ” exclaimed the other scout, who, hav¬ 
ing had practical experience extending through 
many trips into the wilderness with hunting parties, 
was pretty well posted on the numerous little 
“ wrinkles ” connected with woods lore. 

“ Oh! that was the most natural thing in the 
world for any one to do, and I don’t deserve any 
credit, Allan. But there were times when I admit 
I did have to almost smell that trail, for it passed 
over little stretches of rock, you see. At such 
times I had to look around, guess about where it 
ought to be found where the earth began again, 
and in that way pick it up once more.” 

“ And it really led you to a cabin, did it? ” Allan 
asked, as the other paused. 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


171 


“ Yes, and there had been a fire burning in front 
of the shack, though I found only the ashes, as 
though it had been hurriedly put out, perhaps when 
they first saw us heading toward the island, just 
before the storm came along/’ 

“ The ashes were still warm, then?” queried Al¬ 
lan, knowing that to be the logical way a forest 
ranger always learns about how long past a fire 
has burned out, or been extinguished. 

“ They were, and I could see that the brands had 
been torn apart, showing that some one was in a 
hurry to keep its light from betraying the fact of 
any person being camped on Sturgeon Island.” 

“ Just what I’d think myself, Thad.” 

“ After I saw that there was a cabin,” continued 
the scout-master, “ I wondered whether I had bet¬ 
ter take chances, and crawl up close enough to 
hear what they were saying, if so be there were 
men there. Before I had gone far in that scheme 
I realized that it was a little too risky, because I 
could hear a moving about, as though several men 
might be passing in and out. I also caught an 
occasional low muttering tone; but the noise of the 
waves dashing against the rocks, and the rattling 
of the branches of the trees that overhung the lone 
cabin, kept me from catching more than a single 
word now and then. 

“ After listening for quite a while I thought you 
would be getting anxious about my staying so long; 


172 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


and as I couldn’t get any real satisfaction out of 
the game by hanging around any.longer, why, I 
made up my mind to clear out. I’d learned several 
things, anyway, and by putting our heads together 
thought we might get at the meat in the cocoanut.” 

Of course that was a neat way of admitting that 
he wanted to talk matters over with his best chum, 
on the supposition that “ two heads are better than 
one.” Allan took it that way, for had he not on 
numberless occasions done just about the same 
thing ? 

“ Of course you couldn’t tell how many of these 
men there were, Thad?” he asked. 

“ I tried to make a stab at it by noticing the dif¬ 
ferent sound of voices; and I’m dead sure there 
must have been three anyhow, p’raps more,” the 
scout-master told him. 

“ And I think you’ve said once or twice that they 
seemed to be a rough lot?” the other went on to 
remark. 

“ That’s my impression, Allan, from a number of 
things which I won’t bother mentioning now. And 
there’s something more. I told you that when I 
had a glimpse of the fellow who spied on our camp 
I thought he might be a foreigner, or a half-breed, 
didn’t I?” 

“ Yes, I remember you did, Thad.” 

“ Well,” explained the other, “ although I heard 
so poorly while I was hanging out near that hidden 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


173 


shack there were times when I thought one of the 
men was talking in some tongue besides plain 
United States. Fact is, he rattled off something in 
French.” 

“ Oh! then it’s plain who they are—half-breed 
Canadians from the North Shore. As this island 
properly belongs to Canada they would have a right 
to land her£, and our coming needn’t bother them 
any—if they are honest men.” 

“ Thad, they wouldn’t hide out like they do if they 
were the right sort. Make up your mind they’re 
doing something that’s against the law. Honest 
men don’t carry on this way, and spy on a camp 
of Boy Scouts wrecked in a storm. Why, no matter 
how rough they might be, they’d drop in on us, and 
offer to share whatever they had. It’s only fear 
of arrest that makes cowards of men this way.” 

“ I forgot to tell you that among the few words 
I did manage to pick up by straining my ears to the 
limit, were just three that gave me an idea they took 
us for a detachment of militia, either Canadian or 
Yankee, out on the lake on some serious business 
that might interfere with their trade. Those three 
words were 4 soldiers ’ 4 khaki,’ and ‘ arrest.’ ” 

Allan gave a soft whistle to indicate how his 
state of feeling corresponded with that of his chum. 

“ There isn’t any doubt about it in my mind, 
Thad,” he asserted, vehemently; “ but that they’re 
here for no good. That fast launch means they are 


174 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


in the habit of making swift trips back and forth, 
perhaps taking the night for it every time, so as to 
run less chance of being seen. And here hard luck 
has marooned us on Sturgeon Island with a bunch 
of desperate smugglers, who look on us as soldiers 
sent out by the Government to gather them in. If 
ever we were up against it hard, we sure are right 
now, Pard Thad.” 

“ You seem to have set your mind on that one 
explanation of their presence here; and I’ll admit 
that this island would be a great half-way place to 
hide the smuggled goods on, till the right night came 
to run them across to the American shore; but per¬ 
haps you’re barking up the wrong tree there, Allan.” 

“ Oh! I’ll admit that when I call them smugglers 
I’m only guessing, because, so far as I know we 
haven’t any sort of evidence looking that way. It 
only seems the most natural explanation of why 
they’re so much afraid of us, believing as they 
seem to, that we’re connected with the Government, 
one side or the other, just on account of these Boy 
Scout uniforms, which I reckon they don’t happen to 
be familiar with. But Thad, you’re holding some¬ 
thing back; I can tell that by the way you act. You 
learned more than you’ve told me so far; own up to 
that.” 

The young scout-master chuckled. He liked to 
spring little surprises once in a while. It was just 
like tapping a peg until he had it set in the ground to 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


175 


suit his fancy; and then with one master-stroke 
driving it home. He had whetted Allan’s curiosity 
now, and the time had come to satisfy it. 

“ Yes,” Thad went on to say, “ there was one 
little discovery I made that gave me certain infor¬ 
mation, and it was strong enough to convince me 
that our earlier suspicions about smugglers and all 
that sort of thing were away off the track.” 

“ Yes, go on, please, Thad.” 

“ It struck me while I was lying there not so very 
far away from that shanty hidden among the rocks 
and brushwood. Most of the time the wind was 
blowing on my left side, but every little while there 
would come a pucker or a flaw, causing it to change 
for just for a second or two. And it was when this 
happened the first time I got scent of what was in 
the wind, in a double sense. In other words, Allan, 
I discovered a distinct odor of fish in the air! ” 

44 Oh! now I tumble to what you mean! ” ex¬ 
claimed the other. 

“ And every time that wind brought me a whiff of 
the fishy smell the stronger became my conviction 
that these men must be poachers, who knew they 
were breaking certain game laws by taking white 
fish or trout illegally, and reaping a harvest that 
honest fishermen were unable to reach. Stop and 
think if things don’t point that way? ” 

And Allan did not have to hesitate in the least, 
for what his companion had just told him seemed 


176 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


to settle the matter beyond all dispute. 

“ Yes, Thad,” he said, “ now you’ve let the cat 
out of the bag there can’t be any question about it. 
These half-breed Canadians are illegal fishermen, 
poachers they’d be called up in Maine; and they be¬ 
lieve we’ve come to arrest the lot. It’s a bad look¬ 
out for the Silver Fox Patrol'; but we’ve seen worse, 
and always came out on top.” 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


177 


CHAPTER XX. 

“ HOLD THE FORT ! " 

As a rule it did not take these boys long to decide 
upon their course of action. And in the present 
instance they had so little choice that unusually 
prompt results might be expected. 

“ We’d better tell the other fellows, to begin 
with?” ventured Allan. 

“ Yes,” remarked the scout-master, promptly, “ it 
wouldn’t be fair to keep things like this from the 
boys. They’re just as much interested in how it 
turns out as we are. And besides, we may get a 
bright idea from somebody.” 

“ You never can tell,” added Allan; and some of 
those same other scouts might not have felt com¬ 
plimented could they have heard him say these 
words, as they seemed to imply that miracles did 
sometimes happen, when you were least expecting 
them. 

But having made up their minds on this score the 
pair walked over to the camp under that friendly 
ledge. 

Upon their arrival every eye was immediately 


178 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


glued upon Thad. It seemed as though Giraffe, 
Bumpus, Davy and Step Hen must have guessed 
that the scout-master had made some sort of excit¬ 
ing discovery, and now meant to take them into his 
confidence. 

Complete silence greeted the arrival of the two 
who had been conferring so mysteriously near by. 
Of course, once Thad broke the ice, and started to 
tell what he had discovered, this was apt to give 
way to a bombardment of questions; for Giraffe and 
Bumpus could think up the greatest lot of “ wants ” 
imaginable; so that it would keep Thad busy ex¬ 
plaining, until their ammunition ran out, or he had 
to throw up his hands in surrender through sheer 
exhaustion. 

He started in to explain what he had seen and 
done, as soon as he dropped down beside his com¬ 
rades of the Silver Fox Patrol. Immediately he had 
the attention of every one enlisted. Bumpus sat 
there, watching and listening with such intentness 
that you would hardly believe he breathed at all. 
Step Hen, too, was following every word spoken by 
the scout-master, as though trying to grasp the 
seriousness of the situation, and figure out a way to 
circumvent the danger that had arisen so unex¬ 
pectedly in their path. And the other two could 
not be said to be far behind in the interest they 
betrayed. 

As we have already heard Thad tell Allan about 


ON STUKGEON ISLAND. 


179 


his first seeing the man who was spying upon the 
camp; and later on how he came to find the hidden 
boat, as well as the concealed cabin, there is no 
necessity for us to follow the scout-master while 
he imparts this information to the quartette who, 
having been absent from that interview, had no 
previous knowledge of the facts. 

By the time he spoke of crawling silently away, 
and coming back to join the balance of the patrol, 
he had his chums worked up to a feverish pitch 
of excitement 

“ Well,” Step Hen was the first to break in with, 
“ anyhow, game-fish poachers ain’t quite so bad as 
smugglers would have been, and that’s one satis¬ 
faction, I take it.” 

“But they’re bad enough,” urged Davy; “be¬ 
cause they must be breaking the laws by taking 
fish in some way that ain’t allowed. And if trapped 
they stand a chance to face a heavy fine, or a long 
sentence in jail, p’raps both. And if, as Thad says, 
they’ve got the silly idea in their heads that we’re 
connected with the Canadian militia, and came here 
meaning to destroy their nets, and likewise haul the 
men over the coals, why, they’ll either skedaddle, 
and leave us marooned on old Sturgeon for keeps, 
or else do something worse.” 

“What sort of worse, Davy?” demanded Bum- 
pus. “ There you go again, saying things in a sort 
of half-cooked way, and leaving the rest to a fel- 



180 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


low’s wild imagination. Do you mean you believe 
they’d really hurt us, when we ain’t so much as 
lifted a finger to do the bunch any harm? Speak 
out and tell us, now, you old croaker.” 

“ Thad, what do you think they might do ? ” 
Davy asked, under the impression that he would 
be wise to leave the explanation of the matter to one 
who was more capable of handling it than he could 
possibly be. 

“If they were sensible men,” remarked the other, 
deliberately, as though he had given that particular 
thought much attention, “ I wouldn’t be afraid, be¬ 
cause then we could reason with them, and ex¬ 
plain that we were only a party of the Boy Scouts 
of America, off on a little cruise, and shipwrecked 
in the storm; also, that if they helped us in any way 
we’d just forget that we’d ever seen them here.” 

“ But explain and tell us what you mean by hint¬ 
ing that they mightn’t be sensible men ? ” remarked 
Step Hen. 

“ Oh! well, that was my way of putting it,” 
Thad went on to say; “ I meant that as near as I 
could guess they seem to be Canadian half-breeds, 
for some of their talk was in a French patois I 
couldn’t just understand. And I’ve always heard 
that those kind of men are mighty hard to handle, 
because, like Italians they get furiously excited, and 
let their imaginations run away with them, like 
some other fellows I happen to know.” 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


181 


“ Did you say there were only three of this bad 
crowd, Thad ? ” Giraffe asked. 

• “ I wouldn’t like to say for sure/’ came the reply; 
“ but as near as I could make out that would cover 
the bill.” 

“ Huh! and we count six, all told,” continued 
the tall scout, indifferently, although Thad im¬ 
agined he was not feeling so comfortable as he 
pretended to be 

“ Yes, six boys,” the scout-master reminded him. 

“ But husky boys in the bargain, and accustomed 
to taking care of themselves in tight places,” 
Giraffe went on to remark, proudly. “ Besides, 
ain’t we got a gun that shoots twice? That ought 
to account for a couple of the rascals; and then 
what would one poor fish poacher be against a 
half dozen lively fellows, tell me that? ” 

Allan laughed at hearing the boast. 

“ How easy it is to figure out who’s going to 
win the next championship in the National League 
of baseball clubs, while you're sitting around the 
stove in the winter time?” he told Giraffe. “ But 
these paper victories seldom pan out the same way 
when the good old summer time comes along, and 
the boys get hustling. I suppose now. Giraffe, 
you’ll be the one to knock over those two men, 
each with a single shot from your faithful double- 
barrel. Give him the gun, Step Hen, and let him 
start in right away.” 


182 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


Of course that rather startled the tall scout. 

“ Hold on there, don’t be in such a big hurry! ” 
he went on to say, holding up a hand to persuade 
Step Hen to keep the firearm a while longer. 
“ Course now I didn’t exactly mean it that way. 
I never wanted to shoot a man, that I know of. 
What I had in my mind, I reckon, was that one of 
us could keep a pair of these rascals covered with 
the shotgun, and hold ’em steady, while the other 
five managed the third of the bunch. See? ” 

“ The trouble is,” Thad told them, “ none of us 
know French, and in that case we mightn’t be 
able to talk with the poachers, even if they gave 
us half a chance. They seem to have a bad case 
of the rattles right now, and if it wasn’t for the 
storm I really believe they’d get away from here 
in a hurry.” 

“ Do we want ’em to go, or stay? ” asked Bum- 
pus, as though he could not settle in his own mind 
which one of these several openings would be best 
for their interests. 

“ For my part,” spoke up Step Hen, “ they 
couldn’t clear out any too soon to make me feel 
happy. I know what the breed is like, and believe 
me, boys, I don’t care to make their acquaintance, 
not me.” 

“ That’s all mighty fine, Step Hen,” remarked 
Giraffe, loftily, “ but when you talk that way you 
don’t look far enough ahead.” 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


183 


“Just explain that, will you, and tell me why I 
don't ? ” demanded the other, with some show of 
indignation. 

“ Well, suppose now they did jump the island, 
and give us the merry ha! ha! what difference 
would it make to us whether they upset out there 
on that stormy lake or not; wouldn't we lose all 
chance of being ferried across to the mainland, 
and so making our escape from this measly island ? " 

Step Hen apparently caught the force of this 
reasoning, for he subsided, with a sort of discon¬ 
tented grunt 

Davy, however, took up the reasoning at this point. 

“ But suppose now they wouldn't want to get out 
in such a hurry? What if they had a lot of 
valuable fish nets around somewhere that they hated 
to let go? Don’t you reckon in that case they 
might take a notion to try and bag the lot of us, so’s 
to hold us prisoners till they could decide what to do 
with the ones they took to be Government spies ? ” 

Bumpus groaned as he listened to all this 
terrible talk. His mind was already on fire with 
anticipations of what the immediate future might 
bring forth. Still, on occasion Bumpus could show 
considerable valor; and several times in the past he 
had astonished his chums by certain feats which 
he had engineered. 

“ It's up to me to think up some way to get us 
out of this terrible pickle,” he was telling himself, 
over and over again; but even if any one of his 


184 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


five comrades heard what he was saying they paid 
little attention to it; but the fat scout meant all he 
said, as the future proved. 

“ One thing sure,” Giraffe went on to remark, 
presently, “ they know where our little camp is, be¬ 
cause Thad saw that spy watching what we was 
adoing here. And if so be they should take a no¬ 
tion to pay us a visit before morning, why, they 
wouldn’t have any trouble finding us out.” 

“ Not ’less we made a move,” argued Davy. 

“ And we’re too nicely fixed here for that, ain’t 
we?” Giraffe demanded, as he cast a swift look 
around to where the various blankets, having first 
been dried in the heat of the fire, were now invit¬ 
ing to repose, each fellow having apparently se¬ 
lected the particular spot where he meant to sleep, 
let the wind howl as hard as it .wished, for that 
projecting rocky ledge would keep any rain from 
coming in upon them. 

“ That’s right, Giraffe; you know a good thing 
when you see it! ” declared Bumpus, who did not 
altogether fancy starting out to seek another camp, 
where they would have to lie down in the dark, and 
take chances of being caught in a rain, if later on 
such a change in the character of the storm came 
about. 

“ Then, if Thad says the word, we’ll stick right 
here, and hold the fort! ” the tall scout exclaimed. 
“ In the words of that immortal Scot we read 
about, what was his name, Roderick Dhu, I think, 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


185 


who cried: 4 Sooner will this rock fly from its firm 
base than I.’ Them’s our sentiments, ain’t they, 
fellows ? ” 

“ Hear! Hear!” came from Rumpus, as he 
snuggled down again contentedly, believing that 
this disagreeable part of the programme at least 
had been indefinitely postponed, and that they stood 
a good chance for staying out their time under 
that friendly protecting ledge. 


CHAPTER XXI. 

GIRAFFE HAS A SCHEME. 

“ If they’d only leave us alone, why, what’s to 
hinder us mending our own ship, and sailing away 
out of this, sooner or later?” Rumpus wanted 
to know; after they had been talking the matter 
over for a long time. 

“ I suppose you’ll do the mending part, Rum¬ 
pus?” demanded Step Hen, wickedly. 

“ Well, I’d be only too willing, if I knew how,” 
instantly flashed back the other, “ but unfortu¬ 
nately my education was neglected vyhen it came to 
patching up boats, and tinkering with machinery. 
I’m ashamed to confess to that, but it’s the whole 
sad truth. Rut, thank goodness, we’ve got a scout¬ 
master who can do the job mighty near as well as 
any machinist going. I’ll back Thad, yes, and Allan 
in the bargain, to make a decent job of it. And 



186 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


even Giraffe here might fix things up in a pinch. 
So long as we’ve got a chance to make the Chippe- 
way Belle do duty again at the old stand we hadn’t 
ought to complain, I think, boys.” 

“ I’m sorry to tell you that there’s only a slim 
chance of that ever coming about,” Thad re¬ 
marked, right then and there. 

“ Then you believe she was smashed worse’n any 
of us thought was the case; is that it, Thad ? ” 
asked Giraffe. 

“ No, it isn’t that so much as another thing I’ve 
noticed lately, that’s going to upset our calcula¬ 
tions,” replied the scout-master. 

‘‘Tell us what that might be, won’t you ? ” pleaded 
Bumpus, with a doleful shake of his head; as 
though he might be beginning to believe in the 
truth of that old saying to the effect that “ troubles 
never come singly.” 

“You may remember,” Thad went on to say, 
“ that when you asked my opinion before about 
the boat staying where we left it, I said there was 
a good chance we’d find her there in the morning 
if the wind didn’t shift?” 

“ And now you mean that it’s doing that very 
same thing, do you? ” Giraffe asked. 

“If you’d taken the trouble to notice all sorts of 
things, that you had always ought to as a true 
scout,” the other told him, “ you’d have found that 
out for yourself. The fact of the matter is that 
when we first reached this place under the ledge 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


1ST 


the wind seemed to find a way in here, and make 
the fire flare at times. Look at it now, and you’ll 
see that it’s as steady as anything; yet you can 
hear the rush of the wind through the treetops just 
the same. It’s turned around as much as twenty 
degrees, I should say.” 

“ And that’s bad for the boat, ain’t it? ” Bumpus 
wanted to know. 

“ I’m afraid so,” the scout-master replied; “be¬ 
cause it will get the full force of both wind and 
heavy seas. Long before morning it will most 
likely be carried out into deep water, and disappear 
from sight I think we’ve seen the last of the 
Chippeway Belle, boys.” 

“ But, Thad,” observed Giraffe, “ how about that 
anchor rope? You know we carried it ashore, 
and fastened it to a rock. Would that break, now? 
It was a dandy rope, and nearly new.” 

“ Well,” said Thad, decisively, “ once the seas 
begin to pound against the boat, with every wave 
the strain on that rope is bound to be just terrific. 
It might hold for a time; but mark my words, the 
constant chafing against the rock, where you fas¬ 
tened the end, will wear the strands until they snap; 
and then good-bye to our boat.” 

* “ Then we had better make up our minds to fac¬ 
ing that fact, and not feel very much disappointed 
if in the morning we can’t see a sign of the Belle,” 
Allan went on to give, as his opinion; for he ac¬ 
cepted the theory advanced by the scout-master as 


188 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


though there could be no reasonable doubt about 
its being a positive fact. 

“ What if them fellows took a notion to step in 
on us to-night, and make us all prisoners of war ? ” 
queried Bumpus; for this possibility had been 
working overtime in his brain, and he was only 
waiting for a break in the conversation to advance it. 

“ just what I was going to speak about/’ Giraffe 
lip and said, somewhat excitedly. “ You all sat 
down on me when I happened to remark about get¬ 
ting a pair of the birds with the gun. I move that 
we ask Thad to take charge of the firearm, and the 
rest can load up with whatsoever they can find,” and 
leaning over, he deliberately appropriated the camp 
hatchet before Step Hen, whose eye had immedi¬ 
ately started to look for the same, could fasten 
upon it. 

“ Me too, I second the motion! ” exclaimed Davy, 
in turn making a dive for the long and dangerous 
looking bread knife, which had proved so handy 
for many services while on the trip, and was being 
constantly lost and found again. 

“ But where do I come in ? ” asked Bumpus, as 
he saw the favorite weapons of offence and defence 
taken possession of so rapidly. 

“ A club will do for you, and Step Hen as well,” 
remarked Giraffe, complacently; for when a fellow 
has appropriated the best there is, he can afford to 
smile at his less fortunate comrades, and assume a 
superior air. 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


189 


“Oh! well, I’d just as soon arm myself that 
way,” the fat scout told them, as he set about find¬ 
ing something that would answer the purpose from 
amidst the firewood they had carried under the ledge 
to keep it from getting wet. " I’m a peaceful fel¬ 
low, as you all know, and I think there’s nothing 
like a good hickory or oak club to convince other 
people that you’ve got rights you want them to re¬ 
spect. I’ve practiced swinging Indian clubs by the 
hour; and when it comes to giving a right hard 
smack, count me in. That’s going to hurt, without 
injury to body or limb.” 

At another and less exciting time Giraffe would 
have surely insisted upon Bumpus explaining the 
difference between these two sources of injury; 
but just then he had too much else to bother his head 
about to start an argument. 

“ Now, let’s see any three men tackle this crowd, 
that’s what! ” he went on to remark, as he swept 
his eye proudly over the motley array of weapons; 
for even Allan had armed himself, having a stout 
stick, with which he doubtless felt able to render 
a good account of himself in a tussle. 

“ But let’s remember,” warned Thad, “ that we 
don’t want to let ourselves be drawn into a battle 
with these poachers, unless it’s the last resort. 
They’re ignorant men, and just now they must feel 
pretty desperate, thinking that we’re going to break 
up a profitable game they’ve been playing for a long 
time, carrying their fish to some American market 


190 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


against the laws of Canada, and perhaps smuggling 
their cargo in, if there’s any duty on fish, which I 
don’t know about.” 

“If only you could get a bare chance to talk with 
one of the lot, Thad,” Allan spoke up, “ I’m pretty 
sure you’d be able to let them know the truth; and 
in that way we’d perhaps make friends of them. 
They might take our solemn promise that we never 
would give them away, and land us somewhere 
ashore, so we could make our way to either Du¬ 
luth, or some other place to the north here.” 

“ I’m hoping to get just such an opening, if we 
can hold the fort till morning; and they haven’t 
skipped out by then,” Thad told him; which proved 
that he had planned far ahead of anythng that had 
as yet been proposed. 

“ And meanwhile try to be thinking up any 
French words you ever heard,” suggested Bumpus, 
artfully. “ Who knows what use the same’d be 
to you in a tight hole. How’d parley vous Fran - 
cais sound, now ? I’ve heard our dancing master in 
Cranford use that more’n a few times, though I own 
up I don’t know from Adam what she means. 
But it might make a fellow come to a standstill if 
he was agoing to run you through, and you sud¬ 
denly shot it at him.” 

“ Thank you, Bumpus, I’ll remember that, though 
I think it means ‘do you speak French?’ And 
what if he took me up, and became excited because 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


191 


I couldn’t understand anything he said, you see it 
wouldn't help much,” the scout-master told him. 

" But say, what are we meaning to do about 
standing guard; because I reckon now we’ve got to 
watch out, and not let them fellows gobble us up 
while we’re sleeping like the babes in the wood?” 
Step Hen asked. 

“ Oh! that can be fixed easy enough, if we all 
have to stay awake through the whole night. 
Wouldn’t that be the best plan, Thad? ” 

It was Bumpus who put this important question, 
but none of them were deceived in the least by 
this apparent warlike aspect on the part of the fat 
scout. 

Bumpus could play a clever game when he be¬ 
came fully aroused; but if Thad guessed what his 
true reason might be for asking such a question, 
he did not choose to betray the fact, knowing that it 
would cause the fat scout more or less confusion. 

“ Yes, it might be as well for all of us to try and 
stay awake! ” he declared. “ As you seem to have 
settled it that the gun falls to my share, why, I’ll 
make up my mind not to close an eye the whole 
livelong night; and if the rest choose to sit up with 
me and help watch, the more the merrier.” 

“ I will, for one,” said Giraffe, stoutly. 

“ You can count on me to make the try,” added 
Davy. 

“ Ditto here,” Allan went on to say. 

“ Oh! I’m willing enough,” Bumpus observed 


192 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


hastily, seeing that several of his comrades were 
waiting for him to speak; “but I hope that every 
time anybody just sees me abobbing my head hell 
stick a pin in me; only please don’t jab it too deep, 
or you’ll make me howl.” 

“ As for me,” Step Hen added, “ I don’t feel a 
whit sleepy right now; and my eyes are as stary as a 
cat’s, or Jim’s over yonder,” pointing to where he 
had managed to fasten the captive owl, which he 
had persisted in carrying ashore, despite the fact 
that he had about all the burden any boy would 
care to carry when compelled to wade through 
water almost up to his neck. 

“ Well, listen here, then,” remarked Giraffe, 
mysteriously, “ I’ve been thinking up a scheme that 
looks good to me, and I want to know how the rest 
of you stand when it comes to trying it out.” 

“ Go on and tell us what it is, Giraffe! ” exclaimed 
Bumpus, eagerly. 

“ Yes, if you have thought up anything worth 
while, we’d be mighty glad to hear about the same,” 
added Allan. 

The tall scout looked cautiously about him, and 
lowering his voice went on: 

u Why, I’ll tell you, fellows, what I thought. 
Now, about that boat belonging to these here 
poachers, what’s to hinder us from coolly appro¬ 
priating the same, and starting out to look for 
the mainland ourselves? Then, you see, it’ll be 
that bunch that’s left behind to be marooners on old 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


193 


Sturgeon Island; and when we get to town why, 
we can let the authorities know all about what 
they're adoing out here, so they’ll come and arrest 
the whole kit Now, what d’ye say about that for 
an idea, hey ? ” 


CHAPTER XXII. 

THE LONG NIGHT. 

“ Good for you, Giraffe! ” exclaimed Bumpus, 
ready to seize upon the idea without stopping to 
examine the same in order to find out whether or 
not it were possible to carry it out. 

“ It ain’t half bad,” admitted Step Hen. 

“But how about starting to sea in this blow?” 
asked Allan, quietly, after he and Thad had ex¬ 
changed winks. 

“ Oh! hang the luck, I clean forgot all about 
that! ” admitted the tall scout, his smile of triumph 
disappearing immediately. 

“ Whew! I should say we couldn’t! ” Bumpus 
hastened to add, showing that it was possible for a 
boy to change his opinion almost as speedily as a 
shift of wind causes the weather vane to turn 
around, and point toward a new quarter. 

“ And,” added Thad, “ that will all have to be 
left to the morning, anyway. If we should find 
a half-wa}^ chance to do something along those 
lines, why, we’ll gladly give Giraffe the credit for 



194 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


thinking up the scheme. But it’s time we settled 
down for the night now; so let’s fix our blankets 
and be as comfy as we can, even if we do expect to 
keep awake.” 

“ And don’t you think it’d be a good plan, Thad,” 
suggested Step Hen, “ to always keep that gun in 
evidence? If we could make them believe we all 
of us carried the same kind of weapons, we’d be 
more apt to see sun-up without any trouble happen¬ 
ing; and that’s what I think.” 

“ Well, now, there’s some meat in that idea of 
yours, Step Hen,” the scout-master told him; “ and 
it wouldn’t be a bad scheme for those who have 
clubs, to carry them more or less this way under 
your arm, just as you would your gun if tramping, 
or on a hunt. In the firelight they may think that’s 
what they are, and the effect will be worth some¬ 
thing to us, as you say.” 

All of the boys started to settling down. Policy 
might have told them that if they made themselves 
too comfortable the chances of their remaining 
awake were rather slim. 

Bumpus was a lad of good resolutions. No 
doubt he meant to stay awake just as firmly as 
Thad himself could have done. But sleeping was 
one of the fat boy’s weak points, and it was not 
long before he found himself nodding. 

Twice he was jabbed in the leg with the point of a 
pin, once by Giraffe, and the second time by Davy; 
for the other boys took his request literally, and 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 195 

doubtless enjoyed having the chance to do him & 
“ favor.” 

Each time he was thus punctured the fat scout 
would start up hurriedly, and open his mouth to 
give a yell, perhaps under the impression that he 
had been bitten by a snake, which reptiles he des¬ 
pised, and feared very much. 

Discovering where he was in time, however, he 
had managed to hold his tongue, and muttered to 
himself that they “ needn’t go it quite so strong,” as 
he ruefully rubbed his limb where the pin had en¬ 
tered. 

After each sudden awakening Bumpus would sit 
sternly up straight, as though he had taken a solemn 
vow not to be caught napping again; but as the 
minutes dragged along he would begin to sink 
lower and lower again, for sleep was once more get¬ 
ting a firm grip upon him. 

When the fat boy reeled for a third time Thad, 
who was watching operations with more or less 
amusement, noticed that neither Step Hen nor Davy 
offered to make any use of their pins; the truth being 
that both of them had meanwhile gone fast asleep, 
and hence there were three in the same boat. 

It happened that Bumpus managed to arouse 
himself presently with a start; as if a sudden con¬ 
sciousness had come upon him. Perhaps he im¬ 
agined he felt another jab with a pin, and the sen¬ 
sation electrified him. 

First he looked on one side and then on the 


196 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


other. When he discovered that his persecutors 
were both sound asleep, a wide grin came over the 
good-natured red face of the stout youth. Thad 
could see him industriously hunting along the lapels 
of his khaki jacket, as if for a weapon in the shape 
of a pin; and having secured what he wanted 
Bumpus carefully reached out both hands, one to¬ 
ward Step Hen and the other in the direction of 
Davy Jones. 

Then, with a low squeal of delight, he gave an 
outward motion with each hand. There instantly 
broke forth a chorus of yells that could be heard 
above the noise of the breakers on the rocks, and 
the wind rattling the branches of the low oak trees. 

“ Tit for tat!” exclaimed Bumpus; “ what’s 
sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. After 
this we’ll call it off, fellows, remember. It was give 
and take, and now the slate’s wiped clean. 

Davy Jones and Step Hen, quite tired out from 
their exertions, slept peacefully, one on either side 
of Bumpus; while Giraffe dozed, and whenever he 
happened to arouse himself he would wave that 
hatchet vigorously, as if to call attention to the fact 
that he was “ on deck,” and doing full duty. 

The long night dragged on. 

Once Thad had some good news to communicate. 

“ Clouds seem to be getting lighter,” he an¬ 
nounced, pointing overhead. 

“ Yes,” added the other, “ and there’s a sure- 
enough break, I reckon, p’raps now we’ll see some- 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


197 


thing of that old moon before the peep of day 
comes.” 

At any rate the fact of the khaki-clad denizens 
of the camp under the ledge being constantly on 
guard must have impressed itself upon the minds 
of the poachers, for they made no hostile move 
while darkness held sway. 

Of course though, both sentries were glad to see 
the first peep of dawn in the far east. The wind 
had died down, and there seemed to be some 
chance that the wild waves would subside by noon, 
at least sufficiently to allow them to go forth if 
by any good luck they were given the opportunity 
to leave the island upon which they had been ma¬ 
rooned by so strange a freak of fate. 

The others were soon aroused, and made out to 
have just allowed themselves a few winks of sleep 
toward morning, though they cast suspicious looks 
toward each other, Thad noticed: However, 
neither he nor Allen said a word about the hours 
that they had been by themselves on guard. The 
dreaded night had passed, and nothing out of the 
way had happened, so what was the use of rubbing 
it in, and making some of their good chums feel 
badly? 

“ I think it would be possible to see the place 
where we left our boat, if I went out on that point 
there,” Thad remarked, while some of the rest were 
busying themselves in getting breakfast ready, as 


198 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


though meaning to make all the amends possible for 
their lack of sentry duty. 

As though he wished to make sure concerning 
this matter the scout-master left them, and made 
his way to the lookout he had indicated. He came 
back later on, and his face did not seem to show 
any signs of good news. 

“No boat in sight, I take it, Thad? ,, asked 
Giraffe, rightly interpreting his lack of enthusiasm. 

“ It’s sure enough gone, and look as hard as I 
could there didn’t seem to be the first sign of the 
poor Chippeway Belle. Dr. Hobbs’ friend will 
have to buy him another cruising boat, that’s sure,” 
Thad told them. 

“ Well, he can do that, all right, out of the in¬ 
surance money he collects from that old tub,” de¬ 
clared Giraffe, indignantly. “ Let me tell you he’s 
been hoping we might sink the thing, somehow or 
other.” 

Breakfast was a bountiful meal, because Giraffe 
happened to be a fellow who disdained half-way 
measures, when it came to feeding time. The idea 
of going around half starved so long as there was 
the smallest amount of food in camp did not suit 
him at all. 

So they ate until every one, even Giraffe, an¬ 
nounced that he had had enough ; but by that time 
the frying-pans w^ere empty, and the coffee-pot ditto, 
so perhaps it may have been this condition of things 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


199 


that influenced some of them to confess to being 
filled. 

The face of the tall boy had become clouded 
more or less, and it was evident to the scout-leader 
that Giraffe was busily engaged in pondering over 
something that did not look just right to him. 

“ What’s the matter, Giraffe? ” he asked, as they 
lounged around, enjoying the fire, because the morn¬ 
ing had opened quite cool after the blow of the pre¬ 
vious night. 

“ I don’t like this thing of an empty pantry, 
that’s what! ” observed the other, who could not 
forget that in less than five hours there was bound 
to be a demand from somewhere inside that he get 
busy, and supply another ration; and where was 
he to get the material to carry out this injunction 
when their supplies were practically exhausted? 

“ Well, we can’t do anything about it, can we ? ” 
demanded Step Hen, trembling in the hopes that 
the tall scout might have thought of a plan. 

“ That’s just like some fellows,” remarked Gi¬ 
raffe, disdainfully; “ready to throw up the sponge 
at the first show of trouble. Now, I ain’t built that 
way; and say, I’ve thought up a plan by which we 
might get some grub.” 

“'Yes, what might it be?” asked Thad, seeing 
that the other was waiting for a little encourage¬ 
ment before bursting out into a display of con¬ 
fidence; for he knew Giraffe’s ways to a fraction. 

“ I tell you what we ought to do,” the other sud- 


200 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


denly explained; “ inarch on that cabin in a bunch, 
looking mighty determined, and then demand that 
they supply us with what grub we need to tide us 
over. There you are; and how about it? ” 


CHAPTER XXIII. 

WHERE WAS BUMPUS. 

K Huh ! don’t all speak at once, please. Seems 
like my splendid idea ain’t made a hit like I ex¬ 
pected it would. What ails you all ? ” Giraffe de¬ 
manded, after a dead silence had fallen upon the 
little party, instead of the quick response he had 
hoped for. 

“ We’re waiting to hear from Thad,” explained 
Step Hen, as though he might himself be “ up 
in the air,” or, as he would himself have said, 
“ straddling the fence,” not knowing whether to 
scoff at the other’s scheme, or give it his unqualified 
approval. 

“ Well, I wanted to figure it over in my own mind 
first,” remarked the scout-master, slowly. “ It has 
some good points, Giraffe, but we’ll have to get 
good and hungry before we start to holding up 
other people and demanding that they supply our 
wants, even if they are only fish poachers.” 

“ Then you don’t think we had ought to rush 
the cabin, as yet? ” asked the other in a disappointed 
tone. 



ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


201 


“ Wait awhile, and see what turns up,” Thad 
told him. 

“ But what could come along to give us a meal 
around noon? ” Giraffe flashed up, always thinking 
of the main chance, which meant looking after the 
demands of that voracious appetite. 

“Oh! lots of things,” laughed Thad. “You 
know yourself it’s the unexpected that keeps hap¬ 
pening with us right along. Many a time in the past 
we didn’t have any idea of what was going to stir 
us up, till it came along. Just now it strikes me 
all of us ought to stick together, and not go wan¬ 
dering around by ourselves.” 

“ Bumpus ought to be here to get that advice, 
then,” remarked Davy. 

At that Thad turned upon the other scout. 

“ Why, I hadn’t noticed that he was away,” he 
said, hastily, and frowning at the same time; “ when 
and where did he go, can you tell me that, Davy, 
since you seem to be the only one who knows about 
his being gone ? ” 

“ Why, you see, Thad,” began the other, looking 
a trifle alarmed himself now, “ he just remembered 
after we’d had our breakfast, you know, that he 
must have dropped his belt somewhere; and as he 
remembered having the same after he came out 
of the water, he said he expected he’d be able to 
pick it up between here and that place; so he 
strolled off. Why, I never thought but what some 



202 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


of the rest of you saw him go; and because no¬ 
body said a word I ’spected it was all right.” 

“ How long ago was that, did you say, Davy ? ” 
Thad asked. 

“ Why, just after Giraffe here cleaned out the 
last piece of bacon in the pan, as he said it was silly 
to waste even little things; and, after all, he waisted 
it in a hurry, too, let me tell you,” Davy proceeded 
to say. 

“ Why, I think that must have been nearly 
twenty-five minutes ago! ” exclaimed Step Hen, in 
some excitement, as he cast an anxious look away 
across the rocks and brush that interfered somewhat 
with their view of the route Bumpus would be apt 
to take on his way toward their landing place. 

Thad jumped to his feet. 

“ This must be looked into! ” he said, decisively. 

“ You’re going off to hunt for him, I take it? ” 
observed Giraffe; “ how about not getting separ¬ 
ated, like you just told us? Ain’t it going from 
bad to worse, Thad, if so be you rush out by your¬ 
self and leave us here? ” 

“ Yes,” added Davy, quickly, “ if they’re alook- 
ing around for chances to gobble us up, one by one, 
first it’d be Bumpus, then our scout-master, and 
then another of the bunch, till we all got caught. 
Thad, hadn’t we ought to go along with you? ” 

“ Just what I would have proposed, if you’d let 
me speak,” the other assured them readily enough; 
“ so get ready now, and we’ll start off.” 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


203 


“ But how about all our stuff here; shall we leave 
it behind?” questioned Davy. 

“ Oh! I hope not,” remarked Step Hen; “ I’ve 
got somewhat attached to that blanket of mine, you 
know.” 

“ Yes, we’ve noticed that lots of times, when you 
hated to get up in the morning,” chuckled Giraffe, 
“ But how about it, Thad; do we leave ’em here, 
and run the chance of getting the same took; or 
shall we take the stuff along with us? ” 

“ I don’t believe these men will bother with such 
small things as blankets and cooking things; if we 
had a supply of eatables it might be a different 
matter; but we happen to be shy along that line. 
Yes, bundle them up, and hide them as best you 
can. We may be in for a fight, for all we know, 
and in that case we’d want the freedom of our arms 
to work those clubs.” 

“ Sounds like business, anyway! ” muttered Gir¬ 
affe, as he started in to do as the scout-master 
recommended; for, obedience is one of the first 
principles laid down in the rules by which Boy 
Scouts are guided when they subscribe to the regu¬ 
lations of the troop they have joined. 

They were soon ready. 

As the five lads went forth they presented quite 
a formidable appearance indeed what with the 
gun, the camp hatchet, the long bread knife, and a 
pair of clubs thick enough to give a fellow a nasty 






204 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


headache if ever they were brought in contact with 
his cranium. 

“ First of all, it’s only right we should give a 
hail; and if Bumpus is wandering around some¬ 
where he may answer us; and then we can wait 
for him to come in. I see he’s left his bugle with 
his blanket here; pick it up somebody and give 
the recall, if anybody knows how.” 

“Trust that to me!” exclaimed Davy; and 
snatching up the nickeled instrument he placed it to 
his lips, immediately sending forth the strident 
sounds that have done duty on many a battlefield. 

No sooner had the last note pealed forth than 
every boy listened eagerly; but there was no reply. 

“ Sure he could have heard that, even if he was at 
the other end of the island,” remarked Davy, ready 
to try again if the scout-master told him to do so. 

“ And Bumpus has got a good pair of lungs, so 
he’d be able to let us know he was on to the job, if 
he had the use of his mouth! ” remarked Giraffe, 
darkly. 

“ But you don’t hear even a peep, do you, fel¬ 
lows?” remarked Step Hen. 

“ Come on, and fetch that bugle with you, Davy,” 
said Thad; “we might need it again later, you 
know. I wonder, now, what the poachers will think 
when they hear a bugle sound? If they don’t 
know anything about the Scouts, they’ll think more 
than ever that we belong to the Canadian militia.” 

Thad could understand just what course Bum- 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


205 


pus was likely to take in passing along the rough sur¬ 
face of the ground between their landing place and 
the spot where they had found the friendly ledge. 

That was the way he expected to go also, keeping 
constantly on the lookout for any sign calculated to 
tell him if the fat scout had fallen into difficulties. 

It led them down near the edge of the water, too; 
and this gave Thad a sudden bad feeling. Could 
it be possible that Bumpus, who was always a 
clumsy fellow at best, owing to his great bulk, had 
tripped, and taken a nasty fall, so that his head had 
struck some cruel rock? 

He would not say anything to the rest just now 
upon that score; but all the same it troubled him 
not a little as he wandered along, keeping on the 
alert for just such a trap, into which the missing 
scout may have fallen. 

All at once Thad stopped, and the others saw a 
peculiar look cross his face. It seemed to tell them 
that their guide had conceived an idea. 

“Guessed where he’s gone, have you, Thad?” 
inquired Giraffe, quickly. 

“Well, no, hardly that,” was the reply; “but I 
ought to tell you that right now we’re close to that 
clump of brush that hides the little rock hollow 
where they’ve got their boat hidden.” 

“ Oh! mebbe Bumpus he went and took a look in 
there, just the same as you did, and discovered 
the boat, too! ” remarked Step Hen. 

“ Well, what if he did, would that explain his 




206 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


absence one little bit?” demanded Davy. “You 
don’t think, now, I hope, our chum is such an idiot 
that he’d start to take a little cruise out there on that 
rough water all by himself? Bumpus ain’t quite 
so much in love with sailing as all that, let me tell 
you right now.” 

In another minute they were looking at the boat 
that lay concealed in among the rocks and brush. 
Thad even jumped down, and passed into its cabin; 
while the others listened, and waited with their 
hearts apparently ready to jump up into their 
throats, lest they caught sounds of a conflict. 

But presently the scout-master again appeared, 
and joined them. 

“Not there, then?” asked Giraffe, in a disap¬ 
pointed tone. 

“ No, but I saw the print of his shoe on the seat 
of the boat, which shows Bumpus did climb down 
here; but it was heading outward, so it seems he 
came up again. Now to look a little further, and 
find out if he went on toward the spot where we 
came to land.” 

They started off, leaving the vicinity of the fish 
poachers’ hidden boat. For a couple of minutes 
Thad seemed to be having little or no trouble in 
following the marks which Bumpus had left be¬ 
hind him; for the fat scout never so much as 
dreamed that there was such a thing as covering 
his trail; nor would he have known of any reason 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


207 


for doing anything like this had he been so far up 
in woodcraft. 

“ Hold up! ” they heard Thad say, suddenly, as he 
bent over more than he had been doing up to now. n 

All of the others waited anxiously to hear what 
the scOut-master believed he had discovered, for 
they could see him moving this way and that. Fin¬ 
ally Thad looked up, to disclose a frown upon his 
usually calm brow. 

“ Well, would you believe it,” he went on to say, 
as free from anger as he possibly could bring him¬ 
self to speak, “ they’ve gone and done it, after all.” 

“ What, Thad?” asked Giraffe, who had been 
actually holding his breath the while. 

“ Jumped on our chum right here, and made 
him a prisoner,” came the staggering reply; “ I 
reckon they must have done something rough to 
him, or we’d have heard him make some kind of an 
outcry; but they got Bumpus, all right, boys! ” 


CHAPTER XXIV. 

LOYAL SCOUTS TO THE RESCUE. 

This assertion on the part of their leader was so 
tremendous that for almost a dozen seconds the 
boys could not utter a single word; but just stood 
there, and gazed at Thad, speechless. 

But it is a very difficult thing to muzzle some lads 
for any length of time; and Giraffe presently burst 
out with: 





208 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


“ Jumped on poor Bumpus right here, did they, 
Thad ? ” And p’raps pounded him into a con¬ 
dition where he just couldn’t give the alarm, no 
matter how hard he tried ? Oh! mebbe I don’t 
wish I could have been there to touch up the scoun¬ 
drels with this fine hatchet? What I’d a done to 
’em would have been a caution, let me warn you! 
But how do you tell all this from the signs, Thad? 
We’re only a bunch of next door to tender feet scouts 
when it comes to reading trail talk; but we know 
enough to understand when she’s explained to us. 
Please open up, and tell us now.” 

“ And then we must decide what we’ll do, so 
as to rescue our chum,” said Step Hen angrily; 
“ because scouts always stand by each other, you 
know, through thick and thin; and Bumpus is the 
best fellow agoing, you hear me saying that? ” 

“ Well, it’s this way,” said the scout-master, al¬ 
ways ready to oblige his mates whenever he could 
do so; “you can see that some sort of a scuffle 
has taken place where we’re standing right now. 
Other feet than those of Bumpus are marked; and 
then they all start away from here, heading in that 
direction. But although Bumpus walked to this 
spot there’s never a sign of his footprints, which 
I know so well, leading off from here.” 

“ What’s the answer to that? ” asked Davy. 

“ Why,” broke in Giraffe, quickly, “ that’s as 
plain as the nose on your face, Davy. Our chum 
was carried away! Either he couldn’t walk because 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


209 


he'd been tapped on the head, and was senseless; 
or else they had got him tied up that quick.” 

“ Is that so, Thad?” demanded Step Hen. 

“ Giraffe has got the answer all right,” came 
the reply. “ I can see where these fellows must 
have been hiding, and let Bumpus pass them by. 
Then one dropped down on top of him, so that he 
couldn’t so much as draw in his breath before they 
had him. This is what I was thinking about when 
I said we shouldn’t be caught off our guard; and 
that we’d be foolish if we separated at all, for they 
could pick us off one by one, where they’d be 
afraid to tackle the whole bunch. It came quicker 
than I thought it would, though.” 

“ Well, we ain’t going to stand for this, I hope? ” 
remarked Giraffe. 

“ We’d be a fine lot of scouts, wouldn’t we,” 
broke in Davy, indignantly, “ if we were ready 
to desert our chum when he was in hard luck? 
Anybody that knows what the boys of the Silver 
Fox Patrol of Cranford Troop are, would make 
certain that , could never go down with them. Sure 
we ain’t ameaning to keep on hiding our light under 
a bushel, and sneaking off, while Bumpus, good old 
Bumpus, is in the hands of the enemy, and p’raps 
with a splitting headache in the bargain.” 

“Headache!” echoed Step Hen; “just wait till 
we get our chance, and if they ain’t the fashion 
among these here poachers, then I don’t know beans, 
and I think I do. Wow! you hear me talking, fel- 




210 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


lows! ” and he caused his club to fairly whistle 
through the air, as though getting into the swing, 
so that he would know just how to go about laying 
out one of the law-breakers when they finally 
rounded them up. 

“ Hope we ain’t meaning to waste any more 
time around here than’s necessary, Mr. Scout-mas¬ 
ter?” Giraffe observed, grimly, running his finger 
suggestively along the edge of the camp hatchet, 
which they kept in pretty good condition, so that it 
would really cut quite well. 

“ We’re off right away,” said the other. 

“ And Thad,” observed Allan, speaking for the 
first time, because he was usually a boy of few 
words, and one who left it to some of the others to 
do pretty much all the talking, “ the new trail, 
where we fail to find any mark of Bumpus’ shoes 
leads this way, which I take it is toward that shack 
you said you’d seen last night when you took that 
little scout on the sly? ” 

“ It sure does, Allan,” came the reply. 

“ Well, then, we must expect that was where they 
carried our chum; and so we’ll make for the cabin 
now,” Allan continued. 

“ We’ll see it soon enough,” Thad told them, “ be¬ 
cause it’s only a little ways from where they have 
their powerboat hidden. Move along as still as you 
can, boys; and no more talking now except in 
whispers.” 

Every scout must have felt his heart beating like 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


211 


a trip-hammer as the forward progress was con¬ 
tinued. The very atmosphere around them seemed 
to be charged with electricity; at least one would 
imagine so to see the way they looked suddenly 
from right to left with quick movements, as they 
went stooping along. 

It was only a space of sixty seconds or so when 
Thad came to a stop. .They knew from this that 
the cabin spoken of must already have been sighted; 
and this proved to be the case, as was made ap¬ 
parent when they came to examine the territory 
just ahead. 

Among the rocks and undergrowth it could 
hardly be seen; indeed, if they had not known of its 
presence there, possibly none of them would have 
thought a cabin was so near by. 

They stared hard at it, but failed to see the first 
sign of any living being in the neighborhood. 

“ Any signs of ’em, Thad ? ” whispered Giraffe, 
who was close at the heels of the scout-master; so 
close indeed, that Thad had more than once won¬ 
dered whether the tall and nervous scout were still 
waving that up-to-date tomahawk, and if he the 
leader, might be so unlucky as to get in the way of 
the dangerous weapon. 

“ Nothing that I can see,” Thad answered, softly. 

“ But you think they’re in that place, don’t you? ” 
Giraffe continued to ask. 

“ Like as not they are,” the scout-master replied. 

All of them were staring hard at what they now 



212 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


saw. Having continued to advance a little farther 
they made out what seemed to be a lot of barrels; 
and some of them must have contained ice, to judge 
from the straw scattered about. Well, ice was 
needed in order to properly pack fish for the mar¬ 
ket; and if the poachers had ever had a supply on 
the island, secured during the winter time, it must 
have been exhausted before now, because the season 
was late. 

Yes, and what was more to the point, as the 
breeze happened to waft an odor to their noses all 
of the scouts detected the strong and unmistakable 
smell of fish, which must always be associated with 
every fishing camp. 

“ Are we agoing to walk straight up to that door, 
and knock it in?” asked Giraffe, after they had 
stood there for a couple of anxious minutes, star¬ 
ing hard at the lone shack, as though trying to peer 
through the log walls, and see what lay within. 

“ That might be hardly the thing for scouts to 
do,” Thad told him. “ They are taught to be cau¬ 
tious as well as brave. If those men happen to 
be hiding inside there, wouldn’t they have a fine 
chance to riddle us if we walked right up as big 
as camels? No, we’ve got to show a little strategy 
in this thing, eh, Allan? ” 

“ Just what we have, Mr. Scout-master.” 

“ So let’s begin by circling around, and coming up 
on the shack from the other side, and as Thad said 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


213 


this he started off, with the others skulking along 
behind, about like a comet is followed by its tail. 

They kept a bright lookout all the while, not 
meaning to let the poachers get the better of them 
by creeping away from the shack while the boys in 
khaki were carrying out this evolution. Nothing 
however was seen. If the men were still in there 
they kept very quiet, everybody thought; and some¬ 
how this worried more than one of the scouts. 

Giraffe could not see what all this creeping around 
was intended for, anyhow; he would have been in 
favor of separating, and rushing toward the cabin 
from as many points of the compass as there were 
scouts. That sort of plan at least had the benefit 
of speed; for they would either be at the door in¬ 
side of ten seconds, or have been staggered with a 
volley from within. 

But it would not be for much longer, because 
even now they had made such good progress that 
a few minutes more must put them through. 

It seemed an age to Giraffe since they had started 
to creep to the other side of the shack; when he 
saw by the actions of their leader that Thad was 
now ready to order the real advance. 

There did not appear to be any sign of a window 
on this side of the rude building, so that the chances 
were no one inside could watch their coming; which 
Giraffe well knew had been the principal reason 
why Thad had chosen to make this rear approach. 

“ Now listen, all of you,” whispered the leader, in 




214 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


thrilling tones; “ I’m going to call out to Bumpus, 
and perhaps we’ll get a clue regarding what’s hap¬ 
pened to him.” 

Raising his voice, he called out the name of the 
fat scout twice in succession, being very particular 
to speak it distinctly, so that any one within would 
have to be absolutely deaf not to hear it. 

There was no reply, that is, nothing in the way 
of an answering voice; but all of them caught a 
peculiar sound that kept up intermittently for al¬ 
most a full minute. 

“ Now, what sort of a queer rumpus would you 
call that?” asked Step Hen. 

“ Made me think of somebody kicking his heels 
into the floor, or some such stunt as that,” Giraffe 
declared; while Davy nodded his head, as though 
there was no need for him to say anything when 
another voiced his sentiments so exactly. 

“ Thad, are we going to stand this any longer ? ” 
Allan demanded. 

“ No, we must see what’s inside that place; so 
come along, boys, and we’ll break in the door! ” with 
which words the scout-master ran quickly forward, 
the others almost outstripping him, so great was 
their eagerness to be “ in the swim,” no matter 
what happened. 

The door seemed to be fastened in some way; 
though there was nothing in the way of a pistol 
shot or even a gruff voice warning them off. 

Thad tried in vain to find the fastening. 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


215 


“ Pick up that log, and use it as a battering ram! ” 
he ordered; and the other four scouts hastened to 
do so, while the patrol leader stood ready with his 
gun, not knowing how soon he might have need of 
it for defence. 

As the log came crashing against the door it flew 
wide open, proving that it had never been really in¬ 
tended as a means for keeping enemies out. Drop¬ 
ping the log, and at once snatching up their weap¬ 
ons, the scouts rushed to the open doorway, to stare 
into the cabin. What they saw amazed, and yet de¬ 
lighted them. There was not an enemy in sight; 
but some object moved upon the hard puncheon 
floor; and looking closer they discovered that it was 
no other than Bumpus, bound hand and foot, 
gagged, and with his face as red as a boiled lob¬ 
ster, redder by far than his fiery hair. 


CHAPTER XXV. 

NOT SO GREEN AS HE LOOKED. 

The only reason that Bumpus did not call out 
“ help! ” was because the rough gag, consisting 
of a cloth tied about the lower part of his face, 
prevented him from saying a single word. 

It was a sight that staggered the other scouts, 
although at the same time they felt considerable sat¬ 
isfaction at finding their lost chum so speedily, and 



216 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


thus learning that he had not come to very serious 
harm. 

There was an immediate rush made inside the 
shack, each seeming desirous of being the first 
to render Bumpus assistance. All but the scout¬ 
master entered in this promiscuous way, and Thad 
was too wise a bird to be caught with chaff. What 
if this should be some sort of a trap, into which 
the rest of the boys were rushing headlong? He 
did not stop to consider how they might be caught, 
but made up his mind that it was policy on his part 
to stand guard there at the door. 

There were more than enough hands to free the 
prisoner*. and he would not be missed in that way, 
,So Thad, handling his ready gun suggestively, and 
keeping a keen lookout for signs of trouble, stood 
there, waiting for the rest to come out. 

Amidst more or less confusion Bumpus was un¬ 
bound, after that gag had been removed from his 
mouth. The first thing he did was to breathe heav¬ 
ily, as though during his confinement he had not 
been able to get his wind as freely as he liked. 
Then, when he could get on his feet with the help 
of Step Hen and Giraffe, he stamped on the cloth 
that had done duty as a preventative of speech. 

“ Oh! what haven't I suffered, having that measly 
old thing under my nose for ages, and this smell of 
fish everywhere around me!” he exclaimed, as 
though fairly bursting with indignation. “ How 
long have I been shut up here, anyway, fellows? 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


217 


Seems like days and weeks must a passed since they 
took me. I kinder lost my senses I reckon, after 
that hap dropped on top of me, like the mountain 
was acoming down. Please tell me what day of the 
week this is ? ” 

At this the others looked puzzled. 

“ Why, you sure must be locoed, Bumpus, to 
get so twisted as that! ” declared Giraffe. 

“ I should say he was! ” echoed Davy. 

“ Why, this is the same morning after the storm, 
don’t you know, Bumpus, really and truly it is,” 
Step Hen went on to assert, with a ring of pity 
in his voice. “ And, say, did you think it was 
to-morrow, or the next day, and we’d just about for¬ 
gotten we had a chum who was missing? Well, if 
this don’t take the cake, I never heard the beat of it.” 

“ Fetch him outside so I can ask a few ques¬ 
tions ! ” called Thad just then. 

“ Yes, for goodness sake get me where I can 
have a whiff of clean air; I’m nearly dead with 
this fishy smell. I always did hate to handle fish 
after they got over their jumping stage, and this is 
awful ! ” Bumpus wailed. 

“ It certain is,” muttered Giraffe, holding his 
fingers up to his nose. 

So they all bustled out of the door, where they 
found the scout-master on duty; and all at once it 
struck the other fellows how smart Thad had been 
in holding back at the time the rush was made to 
free Bumpus. 



218 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


“ Oh! this is a thousand per cent better! ” the 
late prisoner declared, with genuine thanksgiving 
in his tones, as he fairly reveled in the clear air that 
had been purified by the recent blow. 

“ I heard you asking what day this was, Bum- 
pus, and from that we understand that you must 
have lost your senses for a while, and got mixed 
up ? ” Thad remarked. 

“ That’s what happened, Thad,” replied the other, 
prompty enough. 

“ Well, it’s not only the same morning after the 
storm,” continued the other, “ but just about an 
hour after you went off to hunt for your belt. I 
see you found the same, and that they made good 
use of it to fasten your arms behind your back.” 

Bumpus looked astonished, as though what he 
heard was hard to believe; for he shook his head 
slowly, and observed: 

“ Tell me about that, will you? Well, sir, that 
tvas the longest hour that ever happened to me in 
all my life! ” 

“ Hold on! ” corrected Giraffe, “ you’re forget¬ 
ting that time you tripped in the dark, and fell over 
a precipice a thousand feet deep, and hung there 
from the top, yelling for help. We came galloping 
to the spot, and rescued you, about as limp as a 
dish-rag; and you told us how you’d suffered such 
agonies that you lived ten years , and wanted to 
know if your hair had turned white. But when 
we held the light over the top of that awful precipice, 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


219 


and showed you that the ground was just about six 
inches below your toes as you dangled there, why, 
you made out that it was all a good joke, and that 
anyhow you’d given the rest of us a bad scare.” 

Bumpus grinned, as though the recollection rather 
amused him now. 

“ But this time it was different, Giraffe, because 
they wanted me to tell, and I just wouldn’t. Then 
the big man who was leader, gave me a knock on 
the head, he was so mad at me, and I keeled over 
a second time. That’s when I thought days had 
passed, when I heard you fellows talking outside, 
and after that an earthquake came knocking down 
the door. My! but I was glad to see the bunch 
come piling in, you can take it from me. Never 
will forget it, I give you my word, boys! ” 

“ But see here, Bumpus,” said Thad, “ what do 
you mean when you say you refused to tell? Of 
course all of us know how stubborn you can be, 
when you take a notion; but what could these men 
want to get out of you that you’d refuse to let go? 
Not any information about us, I should think? ” 

“ Well, hardly,” replied the other. “ You see, 
they had me tied up, and that horrible fishy rag 
fastened around my mouth so I couldn’t talk; but 
the fellow that could speak United States bettern’n 
either of the others told me to nod my head if I 
promised to show ’em where I’d hid it; but every 
time I shook it this way,” and he proceeded to give 






220 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


an emphatic demonstration of what a negative 
shake might be. 

“ But what had you hid away that they wanted so 
badly?” persisted Thad. 

Bumpus grinned, and raised one of his eye¬ 
brows in a comical manner. 

“ Oh! that was a little trick of mine,” he re¬ 
marked, composedly. “ P’raps the rest of you’ll 
give me credit for being a mite smart when I tell 
you. But in order to make you understand, just 
wait till I go back to the time I left camp to look 
for this belt.” 

“ That’s the best way, I should think,” agreed 
Giraffe, who knew from experience how hard it 
sometimes proved to drag the details of a story 
from Bumpus. 

“ Oh! I ain’t meaning to string it out everlast¬ 
ingly! ” declared the other. “ I’m going to be right 
to the point, see if I don’t. Well, after I picked 
up my belt I just happened to remember what Thad 
had told us about that concealed boat belonging to 
the queer chaps who were hiding on this island; 
and before I knew hardly what I was doing I found 
myself aboard the same, nosing around. 

“ All at once it struck me what a bad job for us 
it’d be if they took a notion to skip out after the 
wind and waves went down, and left us here by 
our lonely. So I made up a cute little plan calcu¬ 
lated to block that game right in the start. What 
did I do? Just unfastened the crank they used to 



ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


221 


start the engine agoing and hid the same under my 
coat. I was meaning to fetch it to our camp, so we 
could make terms with the men, when I thought I 
saw somebody slip around a tree; and on the im¬ 
pulse of the moment, as they say in the books, I 
just let that handle drop into the hollow of a stump 
I happened to be passing.” 

“ Good for you, Bumpus! ” exclaimed Giraffe, 
patting the other on the shoulder. 

“ Well, it wasn’t so very good for me in one way,” 
the fat scout remarked, with one hand tenderly 
caressing a bump he seemed to have on his head; 
“ because that same little trick got a fellow of my 
size in heaps of trouble right away. But you know 
how I hate to give a thing up, boys; and once I’d 
done this job I was bent on holding out to the 
bitter end. 

“ Well, to make a long story short, the next thing 
I knew I didn’t know anything, because that big 
clodhopper came down from a tree right on top 
of me, and one of his shoes must a struck me on 
the head right here, for it hurts like the mischief. 

“ When I came to my senses I was fixed up like 
you saw, and inside this old fish house. Honest 
boys, first thing, before I got a good look around, I 
thought I had died, and was amouldering in my 
grave. The three men were hanging over me, 
ajabbering like so many monkeys or poll parrots. 
Then the big fellow with the black beard began to 






222 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


throw all sorts of questions at me, which f man¬ 
aged to understand. 

“ Seems like they had gone to the boat after leav¬ 
ing me here, p’raps meaning to take chances out on 
the lake, waves or no waves, because they thought 
if they stayed any longer they were agoing to be 
gobbled by the soldiers, sure pop. And then they 
missed that old crank. Course they knowed I’d 
been pottering around their boat, and they wanted 
to find out what I did with the handle, because it 
happens you can’t start that engine like some I’ve 
seen, in an emergency, without the crank. 

“We had it pretty warm back and forth for a 
session, him a firing questions at me, sometimes in 
French, and again in mixed English; and me a 
shaking my head right and left to tell him I wouldn’t 
give up the information, not if he kept going for a 
’coon’s age. And sudden like, he got so fiery mad 
he just slapped me over the head, and I admit I 
lost all interest in things on this same earth till I 
came to, and heard voices outside that seemed fam¬ 
iliar like. You know the rest, boys; now let’s get 
away from this place in a hurry. I’ll taste rank 
fish for a month of Sundays, sure I will. Ugh! ” 

“ Wait, don’t be in such a hurry, Bump.us,” said 
Thad. “ First of all I want to say that you’ve done 
a smart thing, even if it was reckless; because with 
that boat in our hands we can really leave Sturgeon 
Island any time we want, once the lake quiets down 
some. And on the way back to camp we’ll just 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


223 


pick up that crank, after which all we have to do is 
to make sure these three frightened men don’t jump 
in on us, and take us by surprise. But while we’re 
here we ought to see what they’ve got that makes 
them want to avoid the officers who patrol the lakes 
looking for smugglers, game-fish poachers and the 
like.” 

“ Give me the gun then, Thad,” said Allan, 
promptly, as he saw the other glance toward him; 
“ and I’ll stay out here on guard while some of the 
rest investigate.” 

“ Thanks, that pleases me,” replied the scout-mas¬ 
ter, relinquishing the weapon that had proved to be 
worth its weight in silver to them, in that it cowed 
the trio of lawless men who had their headquarters 
on Sturgeon Island. 


CHAPTER XXVI. 

THE SKIES BEGIN TO BRIGHTEN. 

It was not very light inside the cabin, so that 
the first thing Thad did in his customary energetic 
way was to take a lantern from a hook, and put a 
match to the wick. After that they could see better. 

“ Don’t seem to be much of anything around 
here, now that we can see half-way decent,” re¬ 
marked Giraffe. 

“ Oh! ain’t there ? ” said Bumpus, who was pinch- 



224 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


ing his nose between his thumb and forefinger, 
“ now, it strikes me there’s a whole lot, when you 
come to think.” 

“ However those men could sleep in here beats 
me?” ejaculated Step Hen, who was not looking 
very happy himself, as he sniffed around. 

“ Oh! mebbe you’ll kinder get a little used to it 
after awhile,” Bumpus assured him, in a tone meant 
to be comforting. 

“ I don’t believe they did sleep in here at all,” 
Thad remarked, after he had been spying around a 
little longer. “ You can’t see a sign of a bed, or a 
blanket, or even leaves in a corner to tell where 
anybody laid down.” 

“ And outside of these few old oilskin rags that 
they* use to wear in their business,” added Giraffe, 
“ and hung up on nails along this wall, there ain’t 
anything to tell that they stayed here. Say, Thad, 
whatever do you think this shack could a been used 
for? ” 

“ Where’s your nose ? ” demanded Bumpus at 
that juncture. 

“ Yes,” Thad went on to say, “ that’s about the 
only thing you need to tell you, Giraffe. Seems 
like they must store their catch here until they get 
enough on hand to pay to stop work, and pack and 
ship the same out. Let’s look around. What d’ye 
call this but a kind of trap in the floor ? ” 

“ It sure is, Thad,” admitted the tall scout, 
promptly. 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


225 


“ Looks like it had been used a heap, in the bar¬ 
gain,” advanced Step Hen. 

“ Why, of course, because there must be some 
sort of well underneath the house, where they keep 
ice all the while, and drop the fish in as they net 
them. Perhaps one reason why they hate to leave 
here in a rush is that they’ve got illegal nets out in 
different places right now, which cost a heap of 
money, and they hate to let them go. Hand me 
that strip of iron, please, Davy. Looks to me as 
if they use this to pry up the trap. There, what 
did I tell you ? ” 

As the scout-master said this he managed to skill¬ 
fully raise the square that was cut in the floor of 
the cabin. Underneath the old building there must 
have been a natural well in among the rocks; for 
as Thad held the lantern over so that all of the boys 
could see, they discovered what looked like a cellar 
of solid stone, some fifteen feet deep, and with a 
ladder at one side that was doubtless used as a 
means of passing up and down. 

‘‘Well! I declare! look at the piles of fine fish, 
will you ? ” exclaimed Step Hen. 

“ All sorts too—trout, white fish, and even black 
bass, whoppers at that! ” added Davy, staring at 
such a remarkable sight. 

“ They must take these in some way that’s against 
the law! ” Thad declared. “ Their suspicious ac¬ 
tions prove that, plain enough.” 

“ That’s the greatest lot of game fish I ever saw 




226 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


together! ” Giraffe ventured, “ and if such things 
keep going on, chances are even the Great Lakes’ll 
be drained of decent sport before many years. It’s 
a shame, that’s what it is.” 

Bumpus was the only one who had made no re¬ 
mark; but all the same he seemed to be busy. 
They saw him dive into a pocket, and what should 
he fetch out but a stout fish line wound around a 
bobbin, and with a hook attached. This he imme¬ 
diately began unrolling so that the end carrying hook 
and sinker fell down toward the bottom of the pit. 

“ Look at Bumpus, would you ? ” exclaimed Step 
Hen; “ he’s gone clean dippy, that’s what ? Thinks 
he’s out on the lake, and these fish are swimmin’ 
down there waitin’ to bite at his bait! Poor old 
Bumpus, that knock on the head was too much for 
him! ” 

“Was, hey?” snapped the object of this com¬ 
miseration, as he went on unreeling his line; “ you 
just wait and see whether I’ve lost my mind, or if I 
ain’t as bright as a button. See that buster of a 
trout alying there on top? Well, that beats the rec¬ 
ord so far; and if I can only tip my hook under his 
gill I’m meaning to yank him up here the quickest 
you ever saw. Guess the rules and regulations of 
our watch only said a fellow had to catch his fish 
with hook and line; it never told that they had to 
be alive, and swimming, not a word of it. You 
watch me win that championship right here!” 

“ There’s a fish pile down in the cellar,” spoke 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


‘>>7 


up the rival of Bumpus, indignantly, and what d'ye 
think, Bumpus here means to fetch up a lot of ’em 
with his hook and line, and count the same against 
me. Hey! guess two can play at that sort of 
game, if there’s going to be anything in it; so look 
out; because I’m after that same big trout myself.’’ 

Twice Bumpus managed to get his hook where it 
seemed to catch upon the monster trout’s exposed 
gill, and with a cry of triumph he started to pull 
in; but on one occasion the slender hold his hook 
had taken broke away; and the second time it 
chanced that Giraffe had managed to fasten his 
barb somewhere about the dorsal fin of the fish, so 
that there was an immediate struggle for suprem¬ 
acy, with the usual result in such cases that the 
anticipated prize fell back, and was lost to both con¬ 
testants. 

“ Tell them to let up on that silly business, and 
let’s get out of here, Thad,” said Step Hen, when 
this thing had gone on for some time, with no re¬ 
sult save a weariness to the two rivals. 

“ But seems to me,” Dave put in just then, “ that 
a couple of them same trout and white fish would be 
a mighty tasty dish for a bunch of scouts I know of, 
who always carry their appetites with them.” 

When Giraffe heard him say that, he suddenly 
seemed to lose all his fierceness as a contestant for 
honors. 

“ Here, let’s stop this business, Bumpus, because 
I ain’t agoing to let you grab up any fish that easy 





228 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


like; and I reckon you feel the same way about me. 
Anyhow, I leave it to Thad here if it’s a sportsman¬ 
like way of scoring in our game? If he says no, 
why I’m willing to let you hook up some of the beau¬ 
ties for our dinner; or to make things more lively 
I agree to climb down that greasy old ladder and 
put ’em on the hook for you. How about it, Mr. 
Scout-master; is it fair? ” 

“ Perhaps the letter of the law might favor such 
a course,” he said, solemnly; “ but we pretend to 
be sportsmen, all of us, and as such we go farther 
than that. And Bumpus, you know very well 
that nothing of this kind was thought of when you 
made your wager with Giraffe. As I was counted 
on to be the umpire I say now and here that the 
fish taken have to be alive at the time they are 
hooked, and swimming in the lake.” 

“ Then that settles it, Thad,” chuckled Bumpus, 
with a grin; “anyhow, I was only fooling, and 
wouldn’t want to count honors won so cheap as 
this. But drop down there. Giraffe, since you were 
so kind as to promise, and hook me on that gay fel¬ 
low I nearly had two different times. Let me feel 
how heavy he is? I’d go myself, but chances are 
Fd sure collapse down there, because already I’m 
feeling weak again, and that’s the truth.” 

Giraffe evidently did not mean to go back on his 
word; and accordingly he carefully climbed over the 
edge of the opening, found a resting place for his 




ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


229 


feet on the top round of the ladder, and then began 
to slowly descend. 

First of all he hooked on the big trout, and gaily 
Bumpus pulled the prize up, remarking at the time 
that it felt as though he were lifting a grindstone. 
When he lowered his line again Giraffe had a splen¬ 
did fresh looking white fish ready, and this he sent 
up after the trout. 

“ I just can’t stand this any longer,” the boy be¬ 
low called up; “ and I’m acomin’ right along with 
the next one, which ought to be a white fish, I 
reckon. Oh! my! hope I don't keel over before I 
get to the top. If I do, please, please don’t run 
away and leave me to my fate, boys! ” 

Perhaps Giraffe was only joking, but it was 
noticed that when he hastily clambered out of the 
fish pit he made a streak for outdoors, still hanging 
on to his latest capture. 

In fact, as they had had enough of that thing, all 
of them hastened to follow the example set by the 
tall and lanky scout. Outside they found Allan ex¬ 
amining the prize with considerable interest, while 
Giraffe was fanning himself, and making all sorts 
of grimaces as he raised first one hand and then 
the other to his nose. 

“ I’ll step in and take a look now, while we’re 
here,” mentioned Allan; “ because I may never get 
another chance to see what a fish poacher’s storage 
place is like.” 

“ Queer where they’ve gone and hidden them- 



230 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


selves," Step Hen remarked, as he looked all around, 
as though half expecting to see a bearded face thrust 
out of the bushes, or above a pile of rocks near by. 

“ Well, just now they’re in a sort of panic, and 
hardly know what to try next,” Thad told them. 
“ Of course they must see that we’re only boys, 
after all; but from the fact that we wear uniforms 
they suppose we are connected in some way with 
the militia, and that perhaps a boatload of soldiers 
is even now on the way here, obeying some sort of 
wireless signal we’ve managed to transmit. They 
thought to seize Bumpus, and perhaps get us all, 
one by one; but when they found that he had ren¬ 
dered their boat helpless they just threw up the 
sponge and quit.” 

“ Well, I kinder feel a mite sorry for the rascals,” 
Step Hen observed; whereupon the usually gentle 
Bumpus, who could be depended on to forgive the 
first one of all, fired up, and burst out with: 

“Then I ain’t, not one whit; and I guess you 
wouldn’t either, Step Hen Bingham, if you had a 
lump as big as a hickory nut on top of your head, 
that felt as sore as a boil, and knew one of that crowd 
did it to you. Ain’t they breaking the law of the 
land; and every fish they take in their illegal nets or 
seines means one less for the fellow that fishes for 
sport, or the man that does business according to 
the rules and regulations. Sorry, well I guess not? 
And when we move away with their old boat we’ll 





ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


231 


send somebody with brass buttons over to Sturgeon 
Island to take off the marooners.” 

“ Whew! listen to the savage monster, would 
you ? ” purred Step Hen; but Bumpus had suffered 
too much to be in a forgiving humor, and he con¬ 
tinued to shake his head ominously while he kept 
on breathing out threatenings, like Saul of old. 

“Now let’s head for our camp,” Thad gave the 
order, when Allan had joined them, and declared he 
had seen all he wanted of the fish poachers’ store¬ 
house. 

“ I only hope they haven’t stolen a march on us, 
and got away with our traps,” Davy happened to 
remark, as they stepped out at a lively rate. 

“ What a job we’d have cookin’ these fine fish, if 
we didn’t have any frying-pan,” was the first lament 
of Giraffe. 

“ And my blanket that I think so much of, I 
wouldn’t like to lose that,” Bumpus told them; but 
Thad gave it as his opinion that after the men had 
fled, upon hearing the voices of the boys near by, 
they must have fallen into such a panic that no 
doubt they were now in hiding away off at the other 
end of the island. 

“ Now don’t forget to show us where you hid 
that crank belonging to the boat engine, Bumpus,” 
Step Hen cautioned, as they strode along. 

“ Good thing you spoke of it when you did, Step 
Hen,” the fat scout declared, “ because here’s the 
old stump right now. Feel down, and see if it ain’t 





232 THE BOY SCOUTS 

there, somebody. Here, let me do it myself, because 
I know just where it lies A ’ 

In proof of his words Bumpus speedily drew out 
the crooked bit of steel in question. 

“ Here you are, Giraffe, like to like! ” he sang out 
gaily, as he tossed his find toward the tall scout. 

“ I s’pose that’s as much as calling me a crank,” 
muttered Giraffe; “ but then, we’d take anything 
from you, Bumpus, just now, we feel so good after 
your splendid work.” 

Of course upon receiving that fine compliment 
Bumpus became contrite at once. 

“ Excuse me for saying that, Giraffe,” he called 
out; “because I reckon now you ain’t one whit 
more a crank than some others in this crowd,” and 
then noticing that Step Hen and Davy were looking 
daggers at him, he hurriedly added, “ particularly a 
stout feller they call Bumpus for short instead of 
Cornelius Jasper Hawtree.” 

“ My idea is about this,” Thad went on to say; 
“ as we are going to depend so much on using this 
boat to get away in, we’d better make our camp 
right alongside; and in that way they won't have 
much chance to steal the same from us.” 

“ But ain’t we going away soon ? ” asked Davy, 
looking around him again, as though he still ex¬ 
pected to see a party of furious'poachers rushing 
towards them, reinforcements having meanwhile ar¬ 
rived on the island. 

“ Not till that sea goes down a whole lot more,” 



ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


replied the scout-master; “and if that doesn’t hap¬ 
pen until late this afternoon I'm afraid we’ll have 
to spend one more night on Sturgeon Island,” which 
information the others did not hear with any de¬ 
gree of enthusiasm, for they were all heartily tired 
of the place. 


CHAPTER XXVII. 

TAKEN UNAWARES, AFTER ALL. 

As there was no longer any necessity for their 
depending upon the shelter of the projecting ledge, 
since the sun was shining cheerily, the scouts set 
about changing camp. 

This did not take any great while, because they 
had no tent to bother with; and it was easy enough 
to gather up their blankets and the few things they 
had saved from the wreck of the Chippeway Belle. 

As none of them ever saw the first sign of that 
ill-fated boat again, it was always taken for granted 
that when the wind shifted in the night, at the time 
Thad drew attention to the fact, the strain became 
so great that the anchor cable had to give way, al¬ 
lowing the still floating boat to be carried out into 
deep water before the end came. 

They found the anchor where it had been placed, 
with the rope broken part way out, and this told the 
story as well as words could have done. 





234 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


And so camp was made close by the boat belong¬ 
ing to the fish poachers, which it must be their duty 
to guard, so that later on they could make use of the 
same in order to escape from the island. 

The waves did not go down as rapidly as the boys 
would have liked, and when high noon came they 
were still rolling along in a way that was dangerous 
to any small craft, especially on such a great inland 
sea as Superior is, with harbors few and far be¬ 
tween. 

Thad admitted that the chances of their getting 
away that day did not look good to him. Giraffe 
was the only real cheerful fellow in the party, and 
as he superintended the cooking of the delicious 
white fish for lunch he was heard to express his 
opinion several times. 

“ Well, one thing good about it is that there’s 
enough fish on the ice down in that well to last us 
till Christmas; and it’s to be hoped that somebody 
with a boat conies along before then, to take us off; 
or we can get this chunky craft of the poachers to 
working some. But let me tell you, that same fish 
does smell grand to me. Needn’t make a face, Bum- 
pus, because you think you’ll never eat fish again. 
It’s either that or go hungry with this crowd.” 

“ But the white fish, like all other delicate fish, 
is only at its best when eaten on the spot where it’s 
caught,” Thad told them; “putting it on ice for 
days hurts the flavor, and sometimes it’s just as 
tasteless as so much sawdust.” 




ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


235 


“ Then this one was fresh caught,” Giraffe af¬ 
firmed, as he looked hastily about, took up the 
last bit that was in the second pan, and asked: “ any¬ 
body want this; if nobody else does, I’m Johnny 
on the spot.” 

“ Well, I declare, I like that! ” burst out Step 
Hen; “ did you see him swing that pan around, and 
before a fellow could even open his mouth to say 
yes, he had that last big piece in his tin dish. Oh! 
well, since you’ve got to be filled up, or you get to 
growling, go ahead and bolt it; only look out for 
bones. If one ever got fastened in that rubber¬ 
neck of yours, Giraffe, nobody’s fingers could ever 
reach it. And as hard luck would have it, I left my 
fish disgorger at home.” 

Giraffe never minded this sort of talk, for he was 
making away with the last of the fish with his usual 
speed. 

“ Bones never trouble him at all,” remarked Bum- 
pus, who was always telling about dreaming of 
choking to death on a fish-bone. 

“ That’s where you’re wrong,” chuckled Step 
Hen; “ they trouble him a whole lot, every time he 
sits down, I reckon, because Nature ain’t been so 
kind to our long friend as to you, Bumpus.” 

Joking in this style they finished their meal, and 
the afternoon stared them in the face. It promised 
to be a long stretch, if they had to stay there until 
another morning. 

Bumpus and Giraffe presently got their lines out, 






23(5 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


and finding a place near by where it seemed safe to 
remain, they started to try and add to their score. 

“ Let’s call it off, Bumpus,” suggested Giraffe, 
who was getting weary. “/What’s the use of all 
this bother, when we’ve got a storehouse cram-full 
of fine fresh fish close at hand, so we sure don’t 
need this sort of a job for the sake of filling our 
stomachs. Anyhow* you can keep it up if you feel 
like it; I’m dead sleepy after passing such a night; 
and we ought to get some rest/’ 

“ That’s so,” echoed Bumpus, just as if he had 
been on guard every minute of the previous night; 
“ and as like as not we’ll have to be keeping one 
eye open to-night again, who knows?” 

“One?” cried Giraffe, looking sharply at him; 
and then shaking his head he went on to add: “ but 
I said I wasn’t agoing to poke fun at you this whole 
day, Bumpus, after what you done. Course you 
can’t help it if you get sleepy, any more’n I can 
about being hungry all the time. So let’s call it a 
draw, and quit kidding.” 

“What’s that smoke over there mean?” asked 
Step Hen, a short time later; and even Giraffe, who 
was trying to get some sleep, sat up on hearing this. 

“ Hurrah! mebbe it’s a rescue boat coming out 
after us! ” cried Davy, standing on his hands, and 
kicking his heels in the air, just as the ordinary 
boy might clap his hands together. 

“ What do you say, Thad? ” asked Giraffe, cau¬ 
tiously, having arisen to his feet, and stretched his 




ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


237 


long neck in the endeavor to see better than his 
chums. 

“ Well,” remarked the scout-master, after he had 
made a mental calculation; “ you notice, don’t you, 
that it comes from toward the other end of the is¬ 
land.” 

“ Ye-es, that’s a fact. Thad,” slowly admitted 
Davy, who had now returned to his normal con¬ 
dition, with his head higher than his heels; though 
some of the boys often declared that the reverse 
was true, and that he seemed more natural when 
hanging head downward from the limb of a tree, 
like a giant bat or a monkey. 

“ And there isn’t enough of it to make me think 
a boat could be coming,” Thad went on to say. 
“ In fact, the chances are those men, as badly fright¬ 
ened as they are, have to eat, and I think they’ve 
lighted a fire to cook something.” 

“Oh! is that all?” grunted Giraffe, immediately 
dropping back upon his blanket; “ please don’t wake 
me up again for such a silly thing as that; though of 
course I can feel for ’em if they are really hungry.” 

Acting on the advice of Thad the other boys man¬ 
aged to get some sleep from time to time, though 
they were very careful not to let the camp go un¬ 
guarded. 

“ We’re going to be kept here on the island an¬ 
other night, seems like,” he had told them, “ and 
that means a constant watch. So far we’ve man- 



238 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


aged to hold our own, and we can’t afford to get 
careless, and losemut.” 

“ I should say not,” Step Hen had echoed, as he 
cuddled down to carry out the suggestion of the 
scout-master. 

Along about half an hour before evening set in 
an expedition was arranged to pay another friendly 
visit to the fish preserves of the poachers. They 
wanted to get enough supplies this time to cover 
several meals, so that they would be able to feel 
that they had food for the next day, should they be 
able to make the start in the morning. 

Now Bumpus would much rather have remained 
behind; but it was a choice between two evils with 
him. His recollections of the harsh methods by 
means of which the poachers tried to get him to 
give up his secret were still fresh in his mind; so 
was his detestation of that fishy odor that clung to 
the shack. But Thad would not let him have any 
choice in the matter, telling him that he must ac¬ 
company the expedition, and carry home his share 
of the spoils, though Giraffe had promised to again 
drop down into the pit, and send up all they wanted. 

They met with no adventure on the way, nor 
were they interrupted in their task of securing a 
store of fish food for present necessities, and look¬ 
ing into the near future a bit. 

Giraffe managed his end of the labor manfully. 
He suffered a great deal, he admitted; but then 
somebody had to take on the hard jobs; and as no 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


239 


one else volunteered he just had to be the “ goat.” 

“ Oh! as if we don’t know the real reason,” Step 
Hen declared, indignantly. “ If you wasn’t so 
crazy after eating all the time, I guess now you’d be 
the last one to go down there of your own free will. 
But that ain’t saying we ain’t glad of it. ’Taint 
often we get a chance to harness that appetite of 
yours to something that pays. Go on down a few 
more times, Giraffe; we might toddle along under 
another fish apiece.” 

“ Not much I will,” grunted the other; “ six trips 
is the limit for anybody with a weak stomach.” 

“ Weak stomach—what, you?” cried Step Hen, 
scornfully throwing up his hands. 

The tall scout however did not want to be drawn 
into an argument just then, since that would only 
delay their departure from the cabin and all that 
it spoke of in such a distinct way. He darted in 
again, however, for a last visit, and vanished down 
the pit; to appear a minute later holding the largest 
fish they had as yet run across. 

“ There, what d’ye think of that for a jim dandy, 
fellows ? ” he cried. “ And Bumpus, take a good 
look at him, because I’m bound to hook the mate 
to this next time we get out our lines. I’m not only 
a weather prophet, but there are times when I feel 
it in my bones that something is going to happen.” 

He tripped just then, and took a header, where¬ 
upon Bumpus, with pretended sympathy, hurried to 
his side, and offered to help him get up, saying: 


240 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


“ Oh! Giraffe, that was the time your bones told 
you the truth, didn’t they; and I reckon your knee 
joints are skinned some after that tumble, too? ” 

Giraffe may have been suffering all sorts of agon¬ 
ies at the time, but of course he was not going to let 
the others see him wince; so he smiled sweetly as he 
once more gained his feet, and took up the big fish, 
saying at the same time: 

“ Don’t mention it; I’m all right, Bumpus.” 

But they could see him limp more or less as they 
headed for the camp by the captured motorboat of 
the fish poachers. 

Of course, when they went off like this they 
made sure to carry the crank belonging to the en¬ 
gine along with them, so that even if the enemy 
did enter the camp during their absence they could 
not run away with the craft, which on account of 
the make of motor was practically helpless as soon 
as the crank was gone. 

“ Here we are, right-side up with care; plenty 
of grub, and no damage done except that we’ve de¬ 
creased the stock of fish supplies the poachers have 
laid by,” Step Hen was heard to declare; and 
though Giraffe gave him a pained look, and uncon¬ 
sciously rubbed his injured knee, he did not make 
any remark to the contrary. 

And when it came time to get supper ready he 
was apparently just as able to move around as ever, 
barring a slight limp. 

Of course they kept close watch all the while, not 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


241 


wishing to be taken by surprise, should the enemy 
muster up enough courage to attempt some des¬ 
perate trick, possibly looking to making the scouts 
prisoners, so that they could once more secure the 
valuable crank, and go away on board their boat. 

Thad himself had managed to secure some rest 
during the day, because he knew that another hard 
night awaited him. 

As on the previous occasion he told the others 
they could sit up if they chose, and keep both he and 
Allan company; and just as had happened before all 
of them tried hard to accommodate; but before one 
hour passed poor Bumpus had fallen by the way- 
side; and then soon afterward Davy, Giraffe and 
Step Hen all found themselves unable to hold out. 

Since they had really undergone considerable in 
the way of privation and excitement of late, Thad 
did not have the heart to blame them. He believed 
that with the one faithful chum alongside, he could 
take as good care of the camp as though the whole 
six were on duty. 

The time dragged along until it must have been 
close on midnight; and so far nothing out of the 
way had happened, though the sentries did not re¬ 
lax their vigilance on that account, for they were too 
good woodsmen to think of that. 

As the boat had been secured with all the avail¬ 
able ropes, and a part of the engine dismantled in 
the bargain, neither of the scouts dreamed that the 
enemy would aim to strike a blow at them in that 


242 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


quarter. They could not carry the boat off; and even 
granting that this were possible, it would be use¬ 
less, since they had no means for running the same. 

Still another hour had crept along, and Thad was 
just beginning to congratulate himself on the way 
the night was passing, when without the least warn¬ 
ing there came a sudden flash of light down in the 
rocky berth where the boat lay; immediately suc¬ 
ceeded by a deafening crash. Up into the air arose 
burning fragments of the poacher’s boat; and this 
was the startling spectacle that greeted the as¬ 
tonished eyes of the Silver Fox scouts who had been 
sweetly sleeping, as they sat up and stared around 
them. 


CHAPTER XXVIII. 

GOOD-BYE TO STURGEON ISLAND-CONCLUSION. 

All sorts of loud cries and exclamations arose, 
as the startled boys began to dodge the falling 
pieces of the blown-up boat. 

Thad, although almost stunned by the sudden 
catastrophe that had come upon them, in spite of 
their vigilance, kept a bright lookout, for fear lest 
the next thing they knew the poachers would come 
dashing among them, hoping to take advantage of 
the confusion to disarm them. 

But nothing of the sort occurred, and presently 
the six boys huddled there in a heap, trying to fig- 



ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


243 


ure out what had happened, and why the three men 
had resorted to such desperate tactics rather than 
allow the seeming soldiers to sail away in the morn¬ 
ing, and perhaps carry the news to some place where 
the authorities would be sure to fit out an expedition 
at once, looking to their capture. 

After a great deal of talk, and many odd ideas 
being advanced, which it would not profit us to 
mention here, they settled on what seemed to be 
the most plausible theory. This was that the three 
poachers, believing they could not make use of 
their boat so long as the boys in uniform held the 
key, in the shape of that crank, had decided to blow 
it up. Their reason for this may have been that 
they would in this way compel the others to remain 
marooned there on the island; and perhaps it was 
expected that another boat, with a fresh lot of 
poachers, would be along after a certain time. 

This was the nearest they could ever come to it, 
for they did not have a chance to make the personal 
acquaintance of the three hide-out men, and there¬ 
fore could not get information at first quarters. 

When the morning came the scouts were not so 
merry as they had felt on the previous evening when 
all things looked rather rosy. Still, it is difficult to 
keep some fellows moping all the time; and even 
Giraffe tried hard to look at the bright side; though 
he often complained that he had considerable dif¬ 
ficulty in making up his mind which side that was. 

As long as the food supply held out, Giraffe was 


244 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


not going to give up to despair; even if fish as a 
steady diet might pall on the ordinary appetite, Gir¬ 
affe thought he could stand the bill of fare for a 
week or two, if they had to stick it out that long. 

Thad kept them on the watch for some sort of 
vessel,—steamer, sailing craft, whaleboat barge or 
anything that would afford an asylum, if only they 
could by the greatest of good luck attract the atten¬ 
tion of those on board. 

As the morning got pretty well along the boys 
were beginning to feel downcast once more, when all 
at once Step Hen, who had been using the glasses 
at the time, let out a joyous whoop. 

“ Would you believe it, fellows,” he cried, 
“ while we’ve been nearly breaking our necks look¬ 
ing to the east and south for a sail, why, here’s a 
little buzzing motorboat acoming along on the 
same tack we carried; and ten chances to one now, 
it’s carrying our two good Silver Fox paras, Smithy 
and Bob White!” 

All of them had to take a look through the glasses, 
and the consensus of opinion seemed to trend that 
way; though at first some of the more dubious were 
inclined to fear that it might only be another poach¬ 
ing boat, that was coming straight to the island to 
land a catch of illegally taken fish. 

“ Get busy right away, and let them know where 
we are! ” exclaimed Bumpus, all of a tremble with 
anxiety. “ Goodness gracious! just think how we’d 
feel if they went speeding past old Sturgeon Island, 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


245 


never hearing us yell; because the breeze was wrong. 
Bang away with the gun, Thad, and make ’em look! 
Do something that’ll stir things up! Wisht I could 
let out a whoop that’d carry ten miles, you’d hear 
me spreading myself some, I tell you.” 

But all Bumpus’s fears were useless, for those 
aboard the little motorboat that had really come all 
the way from the Soo, starting earlier than Thad 
and his five companions, heard the combined shouts, 
and signalled that they would head in without delay. 

“ Say, couldn’t you hold up a little while, and let 
me go back after a few more of those fine fish? ” 
pleaded Giraffe, when the rescuing craft was draw¬ 
ing close; and when the scout-master shook his head 
in the negative the tall member went on: “ you 
never know how much grub you need when on one 
of these here lake trips, with the chances in favor 
of something happening to knock the engine out. 
Besides, remember there will be two more mouths 
to feed, Thad; and sure I could snatch up some of 
them fish in a jiffy. Say yes, won’t you? ” 

“ No need of it, Giraffe,” the other assured the 
lean scout; “ it’s true that we’ll have a couple more 
with us, but don’t forget that they are expected to 
have a pretty good supply of food aboard as it is. 
Then who wants to live on fish diet.” 

“And we’ll get to a place right soon,” added 
Bumpus, “ where we can lay in all the stores we 
want.” 

“ Yes,” Step Hen thought fit to remark, “ and 




246 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


then too, if we loaded down so with too much fish, 
what’s ever going to become of that game you and 
Bumpus are working? We expect to have the table 
supplied right along now, with the product of your 
combined skill as anglers.” 

“ Oh! ” chuckled Giraffe, “ after all that honey, I 
give up, and agree to let things run as they are. 
But I want to warn the said Bumpus here and now 
that I’m camping on his trail; and from this time 
out the fight is agoing to be just fierce! ” 

“Bah! who’s afraid?” sang out the fat scout, 
with a shrug of his shoulders. 

“ Everybody get their things together so we 
can climb aboard as soon as our comrades come 
close enough to shore. We may have to wade a 
little, for the landing places are few and far be¬ 
tween, and we don’t want to take any chances.” 

“ Then I hope some kind friend will have the 
goodness to carry me on his back; because I sure 
hate to get my footsies soaked again,” remarked 
Bumpus, unabashed. 

It turned out, however, that there was no need 
of this. The two boys in the motorboat knew how 
to manage, and brought the little vessel in close 
enough so that even clumsy Bumpus was able to 
clamber aboard, after handing up his possessions; 
and Thad smiled when he saw that the other in¬ 
cluded among these the rusty crank belonging to 
the destroyed boat which the poachers had used in 
their illegal business. 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


247 


Evidently romantic Bumpus meant to keep that 
as a reminder of his little adventure on Sturgeon 
Island. 

Smithy and Bob White were two of the Silver 
Fox Patrol whom many readers will remember 
figuring largely in previous books of this series of 
Boy Scout tales. 

They were instantly almost consumed with eager¬ 
ness to know what had happened to maroon their 
chums on the island; but until they had passed 
some distance out Thad would not attempt to re¬ 
late the stirring circumstances. 

“ Looky, there they are, ashaking their fists after 
us; and I reckon they’re letting out a few remarks 
that might burn our ears if we heard the same, 
which the breeze keeps us from doing,” and Gir¬ 
affe as he spoke, pointed to where the trio of law¬ 
less poachers stood on a rock near the other end 
of the island. 

That was the last they were fated to see of the 
men. Later on they happened to enter a Canadian 
port in search of supplies, and of course Thad made 
it an object to narrate their adventure to some per¬ 
son in authority. The boys heard afterwards that 
an expedition was at once started out by the Can¬ 
adian people, looking to the capture of the poacher 
crowd, and the breaking up of their illegal business; 
but apparently the other boat must have arrived 
before them; for while they found the ice pit, just as 
the boys had described to them, the fish were all 




248 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


gone, nor did a search of the entire island reveal 
any sign of human occupation. 

Of course it did not matter at all to Thad and 
his chums whether the three men were ever ap¬ 
prehended, as they did not expect to cruise in this 
region again and consequently there was no chance 
of their ever meeting any of them afterwards. 

They would never be apt to forget the strange 
things that had come to them however, while mar¬ 
ooned on Sturgeon Isand; and often when they 
pored over the Government charts that Thad kept, 
they could see again in memory many of those 
adventures looming up along the mental horizon— 
the wreck of the boat; the lively time they had get¬ 
ting ashore; the discovery of the fish packing cabin; 
the mysterious disappearance of Bumpus; how he 
was found again under such remarkable conditions; 
the blowing up of the poachers’ boat; and last but 
not least the opportune arrival of their mates with 
the other craft. 

No doubt many a time the very odor of fish would 
carry the thoughts of those boys away back to this 
period in their adventurous careers. Not that it 
marked the culmination of the good times fortune 
had in store for them; because before many months 
passed a splendid chance was going to come along 
that would give the members of the Silver Fox 
Patrol an opportunity to enjoy another outing, this 
time while the North, where their home town lay, 
was swathed in snow and ice. The title of this next 


ON STURGEON ISLAND. 


249 

book will be “ The Boy Scouts Down in Dixie; or, 
The Strange Secrets of Alligator Swamp.” And 
the reader of this volume may rest assured that the 
adventures befalling Thad and his jolly mates, Al¬ 
lan, Giraffe, Bumpus, Davy, Smithy, Step Hen and 
the Southern boy, Bob White, will afford them as 
rich a treat in the new story as anything that has 
preceded it. 

As to that wager between Giraffe and Bumpus, 
it kept dragging along during the balance of the 
cruise, sometimes one, and then the other being 
ahead. But luck finally favored Giraffe, as on the 
very last day, with the score a tie, he happened to 
be trailing a stout line out, when his hook became 
fast to the tail of a big fish that came near pulling 
him overboard before he succeeded in landing the 
same, after the engine was hurriedly stopped. 

After that Bumpus threw up his hands, and said 
he would wait on the crowd when they had their 
dinner upon arriving home; which he certainly 
did, and with such success that the boys voted he 
continue to accept “ tips ” in that vocation when¬ 
ever they were in camp, Bumpus vigorously dis¬ 
senting, of course. 

Thad learned later on that the poor old Chippe - 
way Belle was fully insured, and no word of com¬ 
plaint ever reached them after they had furnished 
the owner with all the evidence he needed in order 
to collect the amount; so there may have been a 
little truth in what several of the scouts hinted 



250 


THE BOY SCOUTS 


among themselves, that the sinking of the power¬ 
boat cleared the air, and allowed the gentleman to 
replace her with a newer model. “ Blessings often 
come in disguise,” Bumpus says, as he looks up at 
that rusty crank, tied with a red bow of ribbon, 
and hanging from the wall of his den at home; and 
then feeling of his head to ascertain whether that 
lump has fully subsided, he is apt to go on to re¬ 
mark that sometimes they even drop down from 
trees, and give a fellow the queerest kind of a 
thump; for if he had not conceived that little plan 
of hiding a part of the machinery belonging to the 
poachers’ boat, things might have turned out vastly 
different from what they did. 


THE END. 







The Boy Scout Series 

by HERBERT CARTER 

New stories of Camp Life, telling the wonderful and 
thrilling adventures of the Boys of the Silver Fox Patrol. 
Handsome Cloth Bindings 


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THE BOY SCOUTS ON STURGEON 
ISLAND ; or. Marooned Among the Game 
Fish Poachers. 

Through a queer freak of fate, Thad Brewster and his comrades of the Silver 
Fox Patrol find themselves in somewhat the same predicament that confronted 
dear old Robinson Crusoe; only it is on the Great Lakes that they are wrecked 
instead of the salty sea. You will admit that those Cranfc'd scouts are a lively 
and entertaining bunch of fellows. 

THE BOY SCOUTS DOWN IN DIXIE; or, The Strange 
Secret of Alligator Swamp. 

New and startling experiences awaited the tried comrades of camp and 
trail, when they visit the Southland. But the; * knowledge of woodcraft enabled 
them to meet and overcome all difficulties. 

THE BOY SCOUTS’ FIRST CAMP FIRE; or.. Scouting with the 
Silver Fox Patrol. 

This book is brimming over with thrilling adventure, w'oods lore and the storv 
of the wonderful experiences that befell the Cranford troop of Boy Scouts when 
spending a part of their vacation in the wilderness. 

THE BOY SCOUTS IN THE BLUE RIDGE; or, Marooned 
Among the Moonshiners. 

Those lads who have read The Boy Scouts' First Camp Fire will be delighted 
to read this story. It tells of the strange and mysterious adventures that hap¬ 
pened to the Patrol in their trip through the “mountains of the sky” in the 
Moonshiners’ Paradise of the old Tar Heel State, North Carolina. 

THE BOY SCOUTS ON THE TRAIL; or. Scouting through the 
Big Game Country. 

The story recites the many adventures that befell the members of the 
Silver Fox Patrol with wdid animals of the forest trails, as well as the desperate 
men w r ho had sought a refuge in this lonely country. 

THE BOY SCOUTS IN THE MAINE WOODS; or, The New 
Test for the Silver Fox PatroL 

In the rough field cf experience the tenderfoots and greenhorns of the Silver 
Fox Patrol are fast learning to take care of themselves when abroad. Thad and 
his chums have a wonderful experience when they are employed by the State of 
Maine to act as Fire Wardens. 

THE BOY SCOUTS THROUGH THE BIG TIMBER; or. The 
Search for the Lost Tenderfoot. 

A serious calamity threatens the Silver Fox Patrol when on one of their 
vacation trips to the wonderland of the great Northwest. How apparent disaster 
is bravely met and overcome by Thad and his friends, forms the main theme of 
the story, which abounds in plenty of humor, and hairbreadth escapes. 

THE BOY SCOUTS JN THE ROCKIES; or, The Secret of 
The Hidden Silver Mine. 

By this time the boys of the Silver Fox Patrol have learned through experience 
how to rough it upon a long hike. Their tour takes them into the wildest region 
of the great Rocky Mountains, and here they meet with many strange adventures. 

THE BOY SCOUTS AT THE BATTLE OF SARATOGA. 

A story of Burgoyne’s defeat in 1777. 



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THE BIG FIVE MOTORCYCLE 
BOYS SERIES 

By RALPH MARLOW 

A Series of Splendid Stories, in which are 
contained the Strange Happenings that befell 
a bunch of five lively boys, who were fortunate 
enough to come into possession of up-to-date 
motorcycles. 

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THE BIG FIVE MOTORCYCLE BOYS’ SWIFT ROAD 
CHASE; or, Surprising the Bank Robbers. 

It is doubtful whether a more entertaining lot of boys ever before appeared 
in a story than the “Big Five,” who figure in the pages of this volume— 
Rod Bradley; “Hanky Panky” Jucklin; Josh Whitcomb; Elmer Overton; 
and last, but far from least, “Rooster” Boggs. From cover to cover the reader 
will be thrilled and delighted with the accounts of how luckily they came by 
their motorcycles; and what a splendid use they made of the machines in 
recovering the funds of the robbed Garland bank. 

THE BIG FIVE MOTORCYCLE BOYS IN TENNESSEE 
WILDS; or. The Secret of Walnut Ridge. 

In this story the boys with the “ flying wheels ” take a trip through Kentucky, 
and into Dixie Land. The wonderful adventures, and amusing ones as well, 
that were their portion on this glorious spin, have been set down by the author 
in a way that will be most pleasing to the boy reader who delights in tales of 
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THE BIG FIVE MOTORCYCLE BOYS THROUGH BY 
WIRELESS; or, A Strange Message from the Air. 

Even in a quiet Ohio town remarkable things may sometimes happen 
calculated to create the most intense excitement. The five motorcycle boys 
were put in touch with just such an event through a message that came to 
their wireless station while many miles away from home. What that “voice 
from the air ” told them, and how gallantly they responded to the call for 
action, you will be delighted to learn in the third volume of this intensely 
interesting series. 

THE BIG FIVE MOTORCYLE BOYS ON FLORIDA TRAILS; 
or, Adventures Among the Saw Palmetto Crackers. 

Once more a kind fortune allows Rod Bradley and his four “happy-go-lucky” 
comrades a chance to visit new fields. Down in the Land of Sunshine and 
Oranges the Motorcycle Boys experience some of the most remarkable perils 
and adventures of their whole career. The writer spent many years along the 
far-famed Indian River, and he has drawn upon his vast knowledge of the 
country in describing what befell the chums there. If there could be any choice, 
then this book is certainly the best of the whole series; and you will put it 
down with regret, only hoping to meet these favorite characters again in new 
fields. 


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THE BRONCHO RIDER BOYS SERIES 

FRANK FOWLER 

A Series of Stirring Stories for Boys, that not only 
contain considerable information concerning cowboy life, 
but at the same time seem to breathe the adventurous 
spirit that lives in the clear air of the wide plains, and 
iofty mountain ranges of the Wild West. These tales are 
written in a vein calculated to delight the heart of every 
lad who loves to read of pleasing adventure in the open; 
yet at the same time the most careful parent need not 
hesitate to place them in the hands of his boy. 

Handsome Cloth Bindings. 


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THE BRONCHO RIDER BOYS AT KEYSTONE RANCH; or. 
Three Chums of the Saddle and Lariat. 

in this story the reader makes the acquaintance of the devoted chums, 
Adrian Sherwood, Donald McKay, and William Stonewail Jackson Winkle, 
a fat, auburn-haired Southern lad, who is known at various times among his 
comrades as “We Willie Winkle,’’ “Broncho Billie,” and “Little Billie.” The 
book begins in rapid action, and there is surely “something doing” up to the 
very time you lay it down, possibly with a sigh of regret because you have reached 
the end; yet thankful to know that a second volume is within reach. Besides 
the adventure, there is more or less rollicking humor, of the type all boys like 
to read about. 

THE BRONCHO RIDER BOYS DOWN IN ARIZONA; or, 
A Struggle for the Great Copper Lode. 

The scene shifts in this story, from the free life of the cattle range, and the 
wide expanse of the boundless prairie, to that rugged mountainous section of 
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rich ore. The Broncho Rider Boys find themselves impelled, by a stern sense 
of duty, to make a brave fight against heavy odds, in order to retain possession 
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THE BRONCHO RIDER BOYS ALONG THE BORDER; or, 
The Hidden Treasure of the Zuni Medicine Man. 

Once more the tried and true comrades of camp and trail are in the saddle, 
bent on seeing with their own eyes some of the wonderful sights to be found 
in that section of the Far Southwest, where the singular cave homes of the 
ancient Cliff Dwellers dot the walls of the Great Canyon of the Colorado. In 
the strangest possible way they are drawn into a series o' happenings among 
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THE BRONCHO RIDER BOYS ON THE WYOMING TRAIL; 
or, A Mystery of the Prairie Stampede. 

As the title will indicate to readers of the previous stories in this Series, the 
three prairie pards finally find a chance to visit the Wyoming ranch belonging 
to Adrian, but which has been managed for him by a relative, whom he has 
reason to suspect might be running things more for his own benefit than that 
of the young owner. Of course they become entangled in a maze of adventurous 
doings while in the Northern cattle country. How the Broncho Rider Boys 
carried themselves through this nerve-testing period makes intensely interesting 
reading. No boy will ever regret the money spent in securing this splendid 
volume. 



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The Boy Spies Series 


These stories are based on important his¬ 
torical events, scenes wherein boys are prom¬ 
inent characters being selected. They are the 
romance of history, vigorously told, with careful 
fidelity to picturing the home life, and accurate 
in every particular. 

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IKE BOY SPIES AT THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS. 

A story of the part they took in its defence. 

By William P. Chipman. 

THE BOY SPIES AT THE DEFENCE OF FORT HENRY. 

A boy’s story of Wheeling Creek in 1777. 

By James Otis. 

THE BOY SPIES AT THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL. 

A story of two boys at the siege of Boston. 

By James Otis. 

THE BOY SPIES AT THE SIEGE OF DETROIT. 

A story of two Ohio boys in the War of 1812. 

By James Otis. 

THE BOY SPIES WITH LAFAYETTE. 

The story of how two boys joined the Continental Army. 

By James Otis. 

THE BOY SPIES ON CHESAPEAKE BAY. 

The story of two young spies under Commodore Barney. 

By James Otis. 

THE BOY SPIES WITH THE REGULATORS. 

The story of how the boys assisted the Carolina Patriots to drive the 
British from that State. 

By James Otis. 

THE BOY SPIES WITH THE SWAMP FOX. 

The story of General Marion and his young spies. 

By James Otis. 

THE BOY SPIES AT YORKTOWN. 

The story of how the spies helped General Lafayette in the Siege of 
Yorktown. 

By James Otis. 

THE BOY SPIES OF PHILADELPHIA. 

The story of how the young spies helped the Continental Army at 
Valley Forge. 

By James Otis. 

THE BOY SPIES OF FORT GRISWOLD. 

The story of the part they took in its brave defence. 

By William P. Chipman. 

THE BOY SPIES OF OLD NEW YORK. 

The story of how the young spies prevented the capture of General 
Washington. 

By James Otis. 



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Machine Boys Series 

By FRANK WALTON 


New Flying Machine Boy Stories 

HANDSOME CLOTH BINDINGS 


Price, 60 Cents Per 

THE FLYING MACHINE BOYS IN MEXICO; or, the Secret 
of the Crater. 

This is a story of juvenile adventure which will be sure to please the boys, 
and adults, too, for that matter. It is a clean, vivid description of a flying 
machine trip to Mexico, four lads of about sixteen being the principal characters. 
The boys meet with many adventures, uader the mountains as well as in the 
air above them. The Secret of the Crater, the Burning Mountain, the strange 
habits of the Devil’s Pool, hold the reader to the end, while the humorous sayings 
and doings of “ Jimmie ” supply a pleasing variety. 

THE FLYING MACHINE BOYS IN THE WILDS; or, the 

Mystery of the Andes. 

The story deals principally with old Peru. Pressed in the Secret Service 
after their return from Mexico, Jimmy, Carl, Ben and Glenn visit “the roof of the 
world ” in quest of a man who wrecked, as far as he was able to do so, a great 
New York Trust Company. The tale carries the flavor of the mountains, the 
mystery of strange temples thousands of years old, and treats the reader, as well, 
to some delightful juvenile adventures. “ Jimmie ” comes out strong in this book. 

THE FLYING MACHINE BOYS ON DUTY; or, the Clue 
Above the Clouds. 

If you have ever read in the daily newspapers sensational accounts of the 
pursuit and capture of men who smuggle Chinamen and opium into the country, 
you don’t have to wonder whether the events recorded in this story are true to 
life. The Flying Machine Boys find false beacons on headlands washed by the 
Pacific, and they also find the man who murdered a watchman and robbed a 
bank, living above the clouds. “ Jimmie ’’ is particularly funny in this story. 

THE FLYING MACHINE BpYS ON SECRET SERVICE; 
or, the Capture in the Air. 

This is a tale of adventure in the wilds of British Columbia. It is not exactly 
a detective story, although it deals with the work of the boys in capturing a man 
who abducted a postoffice inspector from his private room in the postoffice 
building at Washington. “Jimmie” reads from his “ dreambook ” in this tale. 
For variety of interesting adventures this story equals any other in this series. 


The Flying 



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The Navy Boys Series 


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sea and land, selected from the works of popu¬ 
lar writers; each volume designed for boys’ 

reading. 

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THE NAVY BOYS IN DEFENCE OF LIBERTY. 

A story of the burning of the British schooner Gaspee in 1772. 

By William P. Chipman. 

THE NAVY BOYS ON LONG ISLAND SOUND. 

A story of the Whale Boat Navy of 1776. 

By James Otis. 

THE NAVY BOYS AT THE SIEGE OF HAVANA. 

Being the experience of three boys serving under Israel Putnam in 1772. 
By James Otis. 

THE NAVY BOYS WITH GRANT AT VICKSBURG. 

A boy’s story of the siege of Vicksburg. 

By James Otis. 


THE NAVY BOYS’ CRUISE WITH PAUL JONES. 

A boy’s story of a cruise with the Great Commodore in 1776. 

By James Otis. 

THE NAVY BOYS ON LAKE ONTARIO. 

The story of two boys and their adventures in the War of 1812. 

By James Otis. 

THE NAVY BOYS’ CRUISE ON THE PICKERING. 

A boy’s story of privateering in 1780. 

By James Otis. 

THE NAVY BOYS IN NEW YORK BAY. 

A story of three boys who took command of the schooner '‘The Laughing 
Mary,” the first vessei of the American Navy, 

By James Otis. 

THE NAVY BOYS IN THE TRACK OF THE ENEMY. 

The story of a remarkable cruise with the Sloop of War “ Providence ” and the 
Frigate “Alfred.” 

By William P. Chipman. 

THE NAVY BOYS’ DARING CAPTURE. 

The story of how the navy boys helped to capture the British Cutter 
“Margaretta,” in 1775. 

By William P. Chipman. 

THE NAVY BOYS’ CRUISE TO THE BAHAMAS. 

The adventures of two Yankee Middies with the first cruise of an 
American Squadron in 1775. 

By William P. Chipman. 

THE NAVY BOYS’ CRUISE WITH COLUfldBUS. 

The adventures of two boys who sailed with the great Admiral in his 
discovery of America. 

By Frederick A. Ober. 


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LRB D 24 
















































































































































































































































































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